


The Perfect Assassin

by skye_inkwell



Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-22
Updated: 2021-02-24
Packaged: 2021-03-11 23:00:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 35
Words: 38,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29625309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/skye_inkwell/pseuds/skye_inkwell
Summary: Kore is a vengeful HYDRA agent that will do whatever it takes to watch the Avengers crumble. She allows HYDRA's scientists to turn her into the most deadly assassin there is, even surpassing the Winter Soldier himself. When Kore is finally released to take on the Avengers, she's surprised and infuriated that James Buchanan Barnes is there with them, and when it's time for them to face-off against one another one-on-one, things get heated and personal. Will Kore allow the Avengers to help her through her hatred, and more importantly, will she let herself learn how to fall in love again?
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Original Female Character(s)
Kudos: 3





	1. Kore

**Hey guys! Thanks for reading! I'd just like to say I do not own any Marvel characters except for my own original characters.**

**All events are my own ideas, nothing will be based on any of the movie storylines :)**

**Also, I wrote a story before this that I HIGHLY suggest you read before this one called When Worlds Collide, otherwise there might** **be some parts you won't fully understand. It's sort of a series with different P.O.V.'s**

**Also, PLEASE comment publicly or privately about what you think. The feedback will not only be** **greatly appreciated, but I'll be able to use that for motivation on my next story!** **Enjoy!**

  
(Kore's P.O.V.) ------> pronounced "core"... like the core of an apple :) 

  
They call me Kore. A masterpiece replica of The Perfect Assassin. Formed and raised by HYDRA, a rising terrorist group whose main goal is to take down the Avengers. They kidnapped me just like they would anyone else, but they didn't brainwash me like the others. Maybe it was because I hated the Avengers just as much as they did. I'll never forgive them for what they did to me.

My family was on vacation in Sokovia when the Avengers decided to make the country their battleground, and everyone that I loved perished in that battle. I secluded myself after I was notified about the incident, and closed off all contact with the world until I was brought to the HYDRA base. Only then did I express my hatred for the superheroes that took everything away from me. 

HYDRA used my hatred as advancement toward my training and trials, experimenting on me with different liquids and tactics that would make me unbreakable. While most of them were painful and brutal, it didn't faze me, because I would do anything it took to watch every single one of the Avengers fall to their knees. 

About four months after arriving at the base it was brought to my attention that their lead assassin, James Buchanan Barnes, was compromised and on the run from HYDRA. I scoffed when I heard about it. We'd never officially met, but the stories I heard about him from the guards around the base intrigued me greatly. But now that he was gone, that meant all focus was on me, and I didn't have a problem with that. Because the sooner my trials were completed, the sooner the 'heroes' would fall. 

I sat in my cell, or rather levitated, futzing around with the new abilities I'd received since last night. The scientists somehow managed to reverse a majority of the gravitational buoyancy in my body, giving me the ability to fly on demand. I smirked lightly to myself as I sat cross-legged in the air, raising my left hand to create a ball of light in my palm. Our goal was to give me the powers of every Avenger in Stark Tower. So far they've given me the powers of flight (Vision), chaos magic(Wanda Maximoff), enhanced strength(Hulk), energy absorption and manipulation (Captain Marvel), the super-serum(Captain America), and a cybernetic left arm(The Winter Soldier). 

I sigh to myself as I think about what would happen when they finally let me out of this shithole. Now that I think about it, I haven't actually been outside since I got here, haven't even been in a room with windows. The training areas are indoors to keep me contained from the outside world. I'm pretty sure we're underground somewhere. Suddenly my cell door is swung open and a guard walks in, a large gun in his hand as he glares at me. 

"Poyekhali, (Let's go,)" he demands in his Russian tongue. I straighten my legs and land softly on the ground.

"Bol'she ispytaniy? (More trials?)" I ask. He only nods curtly as I squeeze past him through the doorway. He trails closely behind me. I smirk to myself. 

"Khorosho. (Good.)"

**Inspired song for this chapter: Control - Halsey**


	2. Trial Complete

(Third Person P.O.V) 

The female assassin strides confidently into the training room, her veins pulsing with her newly enhanced reflexes. Today they'd injected her with a serum that would give her what they called 'Spider-Sense' to replicate how Spider-Man can foresee incoming attacks before they happen. It's now time to test if it actually works. Out of instinct, Kore moves herself to the middle of the floor like she was always told to do. Her eyes scan all of the four walls of the room, glancing at each face of the men she knows will be attacking her in less than sixty seconds. There's got to be at least thirty of them. She cocks her eyebrow to herself. _Damn, don't' start going soft on me now_ , she thinks to herself. Usually, there were more men than this. When she finally stands on the bright yellow 'X' in the middle of the concrete floor, she looks forward at the wall past the Director, her stance strong and tall as she waits for him to speak. The air is tense as they all wait with anticipation. No one is making a sound and no one dares to make any movement unless the director says so. Kore holds her breath as she can feel the Director staring at her, his intense gaze sending small tremors through her body. It was made clear from day one that she was not to look directly at him. She's not afraid of him, not even close. She just knows that she must obey or the consequences won't be forgiving. Finally, he speaks.

"Nachat'! (Begin!)" The first man comes from her left. Not even glancing at him, she clasps her metal hand around his throat, holding him up in the air and throwing him across the room. _That's the worst mistake you could've made, trying to take me out first_. _And on my left, no less._ More attackers continue to come for her, but she's quick to deflect all of them. While using her elbow to jab a man in the face, her heightened senses detect someone coming from behind her. She reacts by quickly spinning and punching the intruder across the face, causing him to stumble back and lay unconscious on the hard floor. Another man tries sweeping her legs out from under her. She leaps up swiftly then lands and kicks the man away with a hard jut to the chest. Then someone attempts to choke her from behind, but she senses it and jabs him in the throat as well. When all men are scattering the floor in a heap of unconscious bodies, Kore relaxes her body and stands while blowing a stray piece of hair out of her face. It must have fallen out of her now loose braid. She's not even panting, just standing as if everything is normal; like nothing ever happened. "Khorosho, (Good,)" The Director chants, then glances to his left at the guard that escorted her from her cell this morning. "Otvedi yeye v kameru. (Take her to her cell.)" Hearing his orders, Kore obediently walks towards the door, the guard waiting for her at the exit. But before she can leave, the Director grips her arm. She doesn't look at him, though. She doesn't dare. "Pochti vremya, (It's almost time,)" He tells her. "Yeshche neskol'ko testov, i vy budete gotovy. (Just a few more tests and you'll be ready.)"

"Ponyal, ser. (Understood, sir,)" She responds. He nods to her with approval before releasing her arm and allowing her through the door. The assassin's black boots echo through the long, narrow hallways leading to her cell. Kore's heart beats wildly as she thinks about what the Director said to her just a few seconds ago. She takes a deep breath then lets it out slowly with satisfaction. Soon all of this hard work, all the pain, all the trials would be worth it. The guard opens her door and motions for her to enter before closing it with a click behind her. She strides over to her hard bed and lays on it, folding her hands behind her head to use as a pillow. Not only would HYDRA know that what they're doing is successfully working, but Kore would also have the revenge she's wanted for so long. She thinks about how the world sees them as perfect heroes, all of them trying to save the world and keep it safe. Kore's nose scrunches. Do they not realize that the more they announce themselves as the protectors of Earth, the more chaos and destruction they will bring to this planet and humanity as we know it? She sighs again and begins thinking about each of them. The Captain and his seemingly perfect complexion with his blonde hair and blue eyes. Black Widow with her deep, fiery red hair and her somehow endless array of guns and other weapons during a battle. Clint Barton and his perfect shots when he uses his bow and arrow. The thoughts make Kore laugh aloud to herself. She shouldn't waste her time thinking about such arrogant people. After all, after she was done with them, they'd be fully classified as an extinct species. Kore blinks up at her blank ceiling as she whispers to herself in her original language, English.

"Hail HYDRA."

**Song that inspired this chapter:** **Venom** **\- Eminem**


	3. Nice Try

(Bucky's P.O.V.)  
  


Steve, Sam, and I were all finishing up our usual morning run. Steve and I got to the entrance of the tower first, turning back to wait for Sam who was trailing just behind us. We were all panting for air as Sam finally caught up to us, Steve opening the door to go inside.

"You good?" I tease him with a pat on the shoulder as we walk through the doorway. Sam merely rolls his eyes.

"You both have some sort of super serum in you, I don't, okay? I can't just pump out twenty miles in forty-five minutes like you guys can." He pauses to catch his breath. "Unlike you, I have a normal body with a normal pair of lungs, which don't like to work properly with me, thank you very much." We all chuckle as we head into the elevator and up to the main lounge where the public kitchen is. When we exit, Sam is pushing me playfully out of the elevator as if we were little kids. That's when I notice Nat sitting at the dinner table reading the newspaper, her fingers gently tapping her cup of orange juice.

"Mornin', Nat," I greet with a smile. She glances up before going back to reading her passage.

"Morning, boys. You kill each other yet? Or do I have to do that during training today?"

"Only Sam," Steve teases. The comment earns a steady 'seriously?' gaze from Sam at the both of us as we head into the kitchen for some breakfast. Nat keeps her eyes down and smirks to herself.

"More fun for me," She calls out. Clint is already in the kitchen cooking something on the stove when we enter. He doesn't even have to look up to know who it is.

"Well look at that, it's the boy scouts," He teases with a small smile as he continues to scramble his eggs. "Did you bring me my cookies?"

"Goodmorning to you too," Steve says while crossing his arms and leaning against the wall.

"If you guys want to grab some plates I can make you some eggs," Clint offers to us. It doesn't take long for us to open the cupboard and grab the utensils, especially me. I'm the first to receive the delicious-looking breakfast from Clint. After that, I grab the orange juice from the fridge and pour myself a glass, then walk out into the lounge and take my seat across from Nat at the dining table.

"Did you ask out that girl yet?" Nat asks as soon as I sit down. I release an annoyed sigh. I should've seen this coming. Nat liked setting people up, probably because she didn't want a relationship for herself. It was her way of making her and other people feel good. "What was her name? Molly?"

"Mary," I correct her as I glance at her while picking up my fork. "And no, I haven't gotten to it. I don't think I will. I'm not looking for that kind of thing right now." Nat groans with annoyance as Steve sits next to her and Sam pulls out the chair to my left. I chuckle quietly to myself before taking a bite of my eggs. "You should stick to hooking Steve up with girls, Doll." Steve looks at me with a weird expression.

"I thought I told you not to call me that," She scolds. "Makes me sound innocent." I shrug.

"Sorry. Old habits die hard." She pauses, watching Steve, then looks back up to me with a giddy expression. Almost as if she were a kid on Christmas.

"Ooh, I know this really cute technician that helps work on the quinjet," Nat says to me, clearly ignoring my denial of her help.

"No thanks."

"Would you rather go soft and sweet? I know someone who's friends with a model." I nearly choke on my orange juice when she says that. I take a moment to swallow my drink before looking at her in disbelief.

"Absolutely not," Nat smirks at me playfully.

"Ooooh, I see. Big tough guy likes tough girls."

"Fuck off, Nat." Though, she wasn't all that wrong. I did want a girl that could hold her own, not one that always needed me to protect them all the damned time. I furrow my brows slightly as I continue eating my breakfast. No, I'm fine just how I am. I like being able to do whatever I want and not have to worry about someone else every day. Besides, emotions like love and that crap only get in the way when I'm trying to focus on what's important, like my work. I sigh to myself. _When the time is right, everything will fall into place_.

**Song that inspired this chapter: Sign - Jeremy Renner**


	4. Nightmares

(Kore's P.O.V.)

I'd been sat in a chair in front of a large TV screen. I was being taught every weakness of each Avenger. My eyes darted across the screen as I read their profiles.

_Clint Barton/Hawkeye_

_strengths: long-distance shooting_

_Weakness: no superpowers, human build_

_Spider-Man_

_strengths: web-shooters_

_Weakness: his identity_

_Steve Rogers/Captain America_

_Strengths: hand-to-hand combat_

_Weaknesses: super serum allows fast healing, run him down until he's too hurt to fight_

I use as much time as I can to study each of them, memorizing their abilities, and remembering what they look like. Not that I haven't seen them on TV before. Then the director enters the small, dark room, light from the doorway streaming in and his shadow showing through the middle. I stand to attention out of my chair and stand still while facing forward, my face blank.

"otchet o missii, (mission report,)" He growls.

"zapomnit, (memorized,)" I respond with a monotone voice.

"khorosho. (Good.)" He pauses in the doorway, almost like he's trying to decide what to say next. "Vyyezd zavtra. Ne podvedi menya. Slav'sya, HYDRA. (Departure is in a month. Do not fail me. Hail HYDRA.)"

"Slav'sya HYDRA! (Hail HYDRA!)" I chant loudly before he exits the room.

(Bucky's P.O.V.)

My eyes shoot open and my body jerks awake as I lay in my bed. It feels like I might hyperventilate. Sitting up in my bed I massage my temple to dull the now present headache. Another nightmare. And just when I thought they might start to go away. My grey tank top sticks to my skin from the glistening sweat encasing my body. I close my eyes and breathe deeply. The nightmares from what HYDRA did to me still come back every now and then. Normally they'll show in my dreams, but sometimes a certain sight or smell will also trigger them randomly. Sometimes I wonder how no one has gotten tired of my sudden trances or outbursts; I never know what will happen, but I try my best to be as careful as possible. With a sigh I throw the bedsheets off of me and head towards the bathroom, taking my top off and tossing it into the hamper next to the bathroom door. Water sloshes around the sink as I crank on the nozzles then splash my face with cool, crisp water. _When will it end_ , I think to myself.

"Heard some commotion upstairs. You alright, soldier?" I'm startled when I hear Nat speaking to me through my earpiece. My body relaxes and I release a breath I didn't know I was holding. Natasha stays on the floor below me. Not until I moved in did I realize how observant she actually is.

"Yeah, I'm good."

"Another nightmare?" I sigh and watch myself in the mirror in front of me, my shoulders hunched as I lean on the sink. The dog tag that I was able to retrieve hangs from around my neck dangling below my collar bone.

"How'd you know?" Nat chuckles a little.

"Lucky guess," she says, then pauses. "You know if you had someone to make you feel safe-"

"Nat-"

"-Then maybe you wouldn't have these nightmares all the time." I squint at my reflection. My eyes are rimmed with red and shadowed with bags that show I haven't had a decent night's sleep in over a month. Then my gaze wanders to my long hair. _I need a haircut_. I rub my stubbly chin. _And a shave_. Sometimes I wish I was that soldier back in the beginning, the strong Sargent everyone knew to be selfless and caring. A small pang hits my chest. I remember when I used to be quite handsome, a lady's man. Not that much has changed, I suppose. It's only been, what, seventy or so years since I was last interested in anyone? That reputation was kind of destroyed when I was titled the Winter Soldier. Besides, who would want to be anywhere near a controlled assassin?

"You're still stuck on that, huh?" I can just imagine the smirk on the Russian woman's face right now.

"It doesn't stop until I find one."

"Shit," I say jokingly with a small smile. My eyes finally tear away from the mirror as I head back to my bed. "Question," I say pointedly as I take a seat on the edge of the mattress. I don't bother to change out of my sweatpants.

"Answer," Nat responds childishly.

"You spend all this time trying to set people up," I explain. My hands are placed behind me so I'm leaning back. "If you're so good at it, why not look for someone yourself? For you?" She doesn't answer for a minute. The air is thick, tense. Then she sighs.

"Commitment isn't my thing. Unless it's my job. The world needs saving and I like to kick ass so it all works out." I chuckle, my smile reaching wider than I'd have thought it would have.

"You've got me there."

"Yeah, I have a habit of leaving people speechless," she says. "Mostly because they're usually passed out or I punched them in the throat." Another laugh escapes me as I lay flat on my bed, not bothering to cover myself with the sheets this time. "Get some sleep, Sargent." My face softens and I blink as I peer up at the ceiling above me.

"Goodnight, Agent Romanoff." I hear the line cut off with a small click and arch my back to get comfortable, then think to myself as my eyebrows furrow slightly. Nat certainly could be right about finding someone to make me feel safe. Images flood my mind of what it would be like to hold someone close, to run my fingers through my lover's hair and tell her how beautiful she is. My stomach clenches. _It certainly wouldn't be all that bad_. Convincing myself I need to get to sleep, I turn onto my side and allow my gaze to look out the window. _I wonder if anyone else is feeling this way too_.

(Kore's P.O.V.)

I lay awake in my bunker staring at the ceiling like usual. Tonight ended up being one of those nights where I can't sleep, which leads my mind to wander off onto random topics. I ended up landing on the memories of my family. A rare smile keeps onto my lips as I remember making apple pies with my mom every Thanksgiving and having to swat away my siblings when they tried sneaking a taste. I sigh. She always did make the best pies. The last time I was able to do that was when I was twenty-one. I was visiting home from college and studying biophysics. I swallow a lump in my throat. I dropped out when I found out about Sokovia. My degree was never completed. I must say, I was a fucking mess after that. But everything turned out fine when HYDRA took me in. I'm surprised to feel a small tear run down my cheek and I'm quick to wipe it away. Emotions were basically forbidden here. The Director made it clear that if I showed any emotion towards anything he'd put me under the trance and I'd be given trigger words. Of course, I didn't want that to happen, so I was strict about keeping myself in line. _God, I'm such a mess_. I turn onto my side with a sigh and rest my hand under my head. Everything will be fine when the Avengers pay for what they did to me and my family.

**Song/s that inspired this chapter:**

**Breathin' - Arianna Grande**

**Love Me Less - MAX & Quinn XCII**


	5. Challenged

(Kore's P.O.V.)

Last night, as predicted, I didn't get any sleep. My mind was constantly spinning with memories and emotions, which was difficult for me because I didn't want anyone to see me crying. Around six this morning a guard brought me a fresh pair of black clothing (the usual) and a small tray of food. I take the change of clothing with me into my small bathroom. I check my fresh-forming scar on my neck, a result of not taking down a certain amount of men in a specific amount of time. The Director was always harsh about incomplete tasks, and the feeling of his whip on my skin wasn't something I could just forget. But I accepted it without denial, because what else could I do? The gash could still be seen just about the collar of my shirt. He probably did that on purpose. I lace up my black combat boots after changing and whipping my hair up into a high, textured ponytail. When I didn't have it up, it reached just above my waist. I hardly ever let my hair fully down. Since it was longer it was deemed as a distraction so I was required to keep it out of my face at all times. A guard comes to retrieve me just after I finish eating my breakfast and I'm led to the training room to continue my conditioning from yesterday.

(Tony's P.O.V.)

Sparks fly as I work on my new altercations for my suit. It needed some major work on the GPS and tracking factor. I turn off my smelter and lift my protective mask to take a deep breath of cool air. Beads of sweat stream down the sides of my face and I wipe them away with a nearby towel. My attention is caught on the elevator entrance as I see my adopted daughter, Claire, skip into my workshop happily, Peter trailing behind her with his hands in his pockets. I smile at her as she comes closer.

"Hi, dad." She gives me a tight squeeze around my waist. I wrap my arm around her in a small embrace as I toss the towel onto a nearby towel.

"Hey, kiddo." I nod to the boy approaching closer. "Peter."

"Hey, Mr. Stark." Claire and Peter have been dating for about a year now. I find it ironically cute (shh, secret) that they're together, especially since they're both spiderlings. Claire just became an Avenger not too long ago and I couldn't be prouder.

"More adjustments?" Claire asks me with a small sparkle in her eyes. I always admired her constantly happy personality, even if she was as stubborn as I was. Pepper likes to make fun of how alike we are, and sometimes says things like 'you two are so alike I'd actually believe you were related'.

"You betcha." I fully take off my mask and set it next to the towel. "What have you guys done today?" Both of their faces turn red and Claire giggles.

"We made a blanket fort." I cross my arms and give them a stern look.

"Now kids," I say lowly. "You know that's not deemable for your age." They glance at each other with worried looks. I'm unable to contain my smile any longer as I smile at them. "I'll show you what a blanket fort really looks like!" I half yell as I jog past them and rush to the elevator. They chase me, laughter bubbling out of them as they catch up to me and the door closes behind us.

(Bucky's P.O.V.)

"Focus, Barnes."

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." Nat charges with two more jabs at my chest. I block them both.

"Except you don't." Suddenly my legs are swept from under me and I fall with a thud onto the sparring mat. "Because your mind is still elsewhere." I take a deep breath as she offers me a hand, which I take politely even though I'm pissed off. Why can't I focus? Just for one second, I want to be able to zone in on one thing without my mind going insane. "Still not sleeping?"

"What gave it away?" I say dryly. My eyes wander to Sam and Steve who are sparring against each other on the mat next to us. Both of their shirts are drenched in sweat, as is mine, from the constant movement. Then my eyes drift around the rest of the weight room. Thor came to visit this morning so he's in here too. I'm not sure how long he's staying but-

"Ah!" My attention is immediately drawn to the object that just hit me in the side of the head. I realize it's a towel when I look at the ground next to my foot and then give Nat a look that says 'you're insane.' "The hell was that for?" Her hands plant onto her hips as she narrows her eyes at me.

"Did you hear a word I just said?" I shrug and grasp my water bottle in my hand from the edge of the mat.

"I was occupied." I catch her incoming kick with my metal hand, stopping her in her tracks. I continue sipping my water like nothing happened as I shove her away and she falls to the ground.

"Well your reflexes are still sharp as ever," she retorts while rising to her feet and dusting off her hands. "Have you been eating?" I swallow another gulp of water before answering, my eyes still monitoring Sam and Steve.

"Normal as ever."

"How often are you getting in the gym?" I sigh, knowing she won't stop with asking questions until she figures out what's 'wrong' with me.

"Every day, just like always." Her arms cross over her chest and she bites the inside of her cheek.

"When's the last time you've gone out?" I open my mouth to answer. "Besides going on your morning jog with Sam and Steve." I close my mouth sheepishly and turn away from her entirely, heading for the door. "That's what I thought," she states matter of factly. I can hear her footsteps behind me as I continue towards the exit. "When's the last time you just went out for the night?" Peter and Claire walk in as I'm leaving and I give each of them a playful fist bump. "You know, relaxed?" Now I turn to her, my hand on the door handle. I'm still holding it open.

"Did I just hear Agent Natasha Romonaf, the most uptight spy I've ever met, by the way, tell me that I need to relax?" I say with a teasing smile. However, she's just staring at me with an eyebrow raised. She obviously wasn't kidding. "I see you working full night shifts with Clint every single night for patrol duty, wandering into the kitchen at night to grab a cold one when you can't sleep, and always up to date with the latest files that Fury sends you. And you tell me I need to relax?" I replace my hand with my foot to keep the door open and cross my arms over my chest, giving her a challenging yet sly smile. "I'd like to see your idea of 'relaxing', Doll." Now both of her eyebrows raise and she evens out her stance.

"Is that a challenge, Barnes?" I cock my head to the side.

"It is." A small smile spreads onto her face and she strides through the open door, me trailing behind her.

"Meet me at the lounge in ten minutes."

**Song that inspired this chapter:**

**Don't Call Me Up - Mabel**


	6. Mission

(Bucky's P.O.V.)

Nat, whom I'd assumed would live up to my challenge, decided to bring me to a local bar not too far from the tower. Apparently, she came here a lot with Clint, or at least that's what she told me. I never could figure out when Nat was serious or just feeding me bullshit lies for the fun of it. I was wearing dark jeans, a white tee-shirt, and a leather jacket. I knew if I didn't cover up my left arm people would notice who I was right away, and I wasn't really in the mood for that tonight. The building was surprisingly bare, only a group of girls sitting at a table in the corner. Nat and I were sitting at the bar on the bar stools, a line of shots showcased in front of us. I sit there, my eyebrows raised as I stare at it.

"So this is how you relax, huh?" She only scoffs, picking up a shot and tipping her head back. The strong alcohol didn't even seem to phase her. _How often did she do this?_

"I find that it calms the nerves."

"Well no shit, alcohol is a depressant. It's supposed to do that." I take a shot myself, my nose scrunching slightly as the burning liquid slides down my throat. I hear Nat chuckle as she watches me from my right.

"I thought soldiers were supposed to be pros at this," she teases. A smile bursts onto my face as I take in what she said.

"Well, I haven't exactly done something like this since the forties, Nat." She smirks and hands me another shot.

"Well I better get you up to speed then," she says as she takes her own and holds it out to me. "Cheers." Our small glasses clink and the burn hits my throat again.

(Kore's P.O.V.)

There's nothing I'd rather do right now than to conjure myself a matter-less, chaos-magical bow and arrow and shoot at a target. I was bored as hell and needed to blow off some steam. Since sitting in my cell all day was basically a routine, it gave me too much time where my mind was allowed to wander. I didn't like it. When I was keeping myself busy I was focused and was able to forget about everything. That's why I like this plan to take out 'Earth's mightiest heroes'. I'm always thinking about it, I don't have time to think about my family or what happened. But then again, if I think about it too much, I get pissed off and then my emotions get the best of me. I start to think about my mom and how she was always checking up on me when I was gone to college. My grandma, too. But she didn't check up when I was in college. She passed away when I was twelve. I close my eyes and try to relax as I think about her, try to remember her. There's one thing, however, I know I'll never forget. She used to talk all the time about finding the perfect boy for me when I grew up. It was always a hot topic when I was around her.

" _Don't you go picking sleezys_ ," She'd said to me one day. " _Find yourself a nice boy that pushes your limits. And remember, my dear, that you never realize you're falling in love until one day, you realize you can't live without them_." I sigh. If she ever found out what I was doing right now, she'd have my head. I'm laying on my bed when my door is slammed open, causing me to shoot up, instantly ready for action. I'm surprised when it's the Director and not a guard. He doesn't waste any time telling me what he needs.

"U menya yest' missiya dlya vas. (I have a mission for you.)"

(Bucky's P.O.V)

I'm laughing hysterically at something Nat said. Something about Tony slipping and falling, I'm not fully sure. I don't remember. The line of shots that were in front of us is gone, each of the glasses empty, some of them tipped over from our reckless movements. We were most certainly drunk, but what did it matter? She was right. I needed this, to relax and have fun for once.

"Hey," Nat says excitedly. "That girl over there is totally checking you out." I rub my eyes and force myself not to follow her gaze. If you look close enough you can see her eyes are just faintly bloodshot.

"Not interested."

"Oh come oooon," she wines.

"Nope."

"Please?"

"Nada."

"For me?" I laugh a little as I answer.

"Definitely not." She pouts as she leans on the countertop, her cheek squishing a little from the fisted hand that's holding her up. There are a few moments of silence between us as we watch the TV screen in the corner of the bar. When the sports show cuts to a commercial, I glance at the time in the corner of the screen. Though my vision is slightly blurred, I'm pretty sure the clock says it's just past midnight. I slide myself off the stool with a sigh, lightly slapping Nat's arm as I do so. "We should get back." A look of confusion clouds her facial expression.

"What? Why?"

"Because Steve will kill us if we're not back soon." She groans but complies, thanking the bartender again for the drinks before following me out of the building.

**Song that inspired this chapter:**

**Riot - Three Days Grace**


	7. Compromised

(Bucky's P.O.V.)

Then next morning hits me like a rock. My head is pounding, my body aching, and my thoughts scattered as I groan to awareness in my bed. The brightness flooding through the window stings and I turn away reluctantly with a hiss to protect my eyes. _At least I had a decent sleep_. My body screams at me when I force myself to get up and out of bed _,_ but I do my best to ignore it. I look at the alarm clock on my bedside table. 8:42. Shit. I missed the morning jog. Steve and Sam are going to kill me. I take a quick shower then slip on a pair of sweatpants and a tee shirt. My stomach churns as I'm taken to the lounge in the elevator, ready for the smart comments from my teammates. But to my surprise, no one even notices I walk in. Everyone's eyes are glued to the new cast on the TV, no one moving, no one breathing. It takes a second for me to realize why everyone is so tense. That's when I finally look at the screen. My eyebrows furrow with confusion as I watch the commotion of explosions being triggered and rocks dropping around defenseless tourists. Mount Rushmore. The cameraman that's recording everything is frantically moving the camera up and down, everything blurring together. I can't tell if he's trying to catch as much as he can or if he's just as scared as everyone around him. There's a streak of white that cuts across the scene, almost like a shooting star. It fires into the front of George Washington's face, the features of his neatly carved definitions now destroyed. When the dust clears around the crash, a flying being shows through. They're wearing a red, white, and blue suit, almost like Steve's except it replicates something more of an armor-ish look. I walk over to my best friend, never taking my eyes off the TV. He's standing with his arms crossed behind the couch right across from it.

"What the hell," I mutter so only he can hear me. More of the dust clears and the being floats in the air around the damage they caused. It's then that I realize this is someone we know.

"That isn't..." Thor trails off as he takes a step closer. It's a girl. A girl with blonde hair. Even though we can't see her face, there's no doubt we know who this is. The realization hits me like a bullet to the chest, my stomach dropping.

"That's the one and only Captain Marvel."

The news is everywhere, headlines lacing New York like an addictive drug. ' _Captain Marvel Destroys Sacred American Monument'. 'Avengers Gone Rogue?'. 'First President Blown To Pieces: Are The Avengers Really To Be Trusted?_ '. Fury had called for Captain Marvel's arrest immediately. He wanted her to be questioned as soon as possible. Fury had also requested that we all meet him on the Helicarrier in the next thirty minutes. We departed as soon as Nat got the call from Fury, Thor transporting himself to the helicarrier and the rest of us hurrying to the quinjet. Clint takes the driver's seat, Bruce and Nat next to him to help with additional controls. Wanda and Vision sit next to each other, Peter and Claire across from them in the main seating area. Sam is sitting by himself a few seats away, Tony decided to be a show-boat and fly there on his own in his suit next to the quinjet. Steve was in a doorway with his arms crossed and brows furrowed, his usual thinking face. I snicker to myself as I walk up behind him and clap my hand on his shoulder.

"Chill out, I swear if you keep tensing your face like that you'll look like that forever. The comment breaks his serious face, just the smallest curve keeping onto his lips.

"Old habits die hard."

"They sure do."

Fury ordered us to go into the other end of the investigation room. I noted the double-sided mirror right away. On the other side of it sat a metal table and two chairs. Fury entered the interrogation room not too long after we arrived. He whispered something to Steve before he follows Fury into the opposite end of the room where the lone table was. Nat, Clint, Tony, and I were all pressing ourselves up again the glass like little kids at a zoo. I don't think any of us wanted to miss anything. Claire nudged in front of Tony to get a better look.

"Really?" Tony asks unbelievably. Claire gives him a side-eye.

"Sorry, I'm not six-foot like Thor." Thor waves at us expectantly with a little grin at hearing his name, and I hear Clint snort silently to himself. It can be quite comical watching Thor and his reactions to things, especially since he's not originally from here. It isn't long until Captain Marvel is thrown into the room with Fury and Steve. She looks surely confused, her brows furrowed like she doesn't know what's going on.

"Agent Marvel," Fury greets her with a dry tone. She looks at him with curious eyes. She's still in her suit.

"Director Fury." Then she nods to Steve. "Captain."

"Ms. Danvers," Steve nods politely. Fury stands up out of is his chair, one hand in his trench coat pocket and one holding what looks to be an iPad. I feel someone shuffle behind me and not is it's Peter trying to see over my shoulder. With a sigh, I move to place him in front of me and look over his shoulder instead.

"Why don't you take a seat with me, Agent Marvel," Fury suggests as he waits for her to sit. She waits a few seconds, almost as if she's unsure, but then does as he asks. As soon as she's seated, Fury holds out the iPad in front of her and beckons for her to take it, which she does. "Mind telling me what this is all about?" He asks her with a slightly angry tone. The confusion on Carol Danvers' face is obvious as she watches what I'd assume is a filmed tape of Mount Rushmore that happened just an hour ago. Carol shakes her head as she watches.

"Where did you get this?" She asks. Fury looks as if he's going to murder somebody as he glares at her.

"It's all over the news, haven't you heard?" His sarcasm is clear in his statement. "I guess I'd like to know the reason why one of my top agents decided to take out a stone bobblehead of our first president." She finally looks up at him now.

"Sir, I wasn't even on Earth until you called me for a meeting."

"Is that so?" He zooms in on a frozen image of her exiting a cloud of dust. Her back is to the camera. "Because I don't know any other agent besides Captain Rogers, here, that wears a red, white, and blue suit." Then he glances at Steve. "Unless you managed to pull off some major editing skills and make yourself look feminine while harnessing the power of a star," he suggests. Steve looks at him.

"No, sir."

"I didn't think so." He turns back to Carol with a 'seriously?' look. She crosses her arms over her chest, obviously offended, and leans back until her back hits the backrest of the chair.

"So you're just going to assume this was me?" Fury doesn't respond. "Fine, go ahead and check that tracker you put in my suit cuff," she challenges. "If that doesn't prove my innocence I don't know what will." He does as she offered when she holds her wrist out to him.

"Jeez," I hear Peter mutter. "Does he put trackers in _everyone's_ suits?" He was obviously referring to what happened the last time the team needed to track down his own suit. I wasn't here when it happened, Fury had given me an assignment in Antarctica.

"It's for everyone's safety," I whisper back to him. I don't think he was expecting an answer, probably just thinking out loud, because he looked back at me nervously when I responded. It brought a small smile to my lips. Peter reminded me a lot of myself when I was his age. Back in the forties, that is. We both turn our attention back to the other half of the room across from the mirrored window. Fury clicks through many settings and pushes several buttons before pausing and furrowing his brows at her.

"Well that can't be good," Tony comments. Fury (fake) presses his earpiece.

"Agent Maximoff, please come to the interrogation room immediately." Everyone glances at Wanda, who's sitting on a bench next to Vision. When she hears what Fury asked of her, her stature stiffens and she rises to hurry to the other room quickly. My gazes fixes back onto Fury and the others when Wanda enters the room reluctantly.

"You wanted me, sir?"

"Yes, I did." His eyes don't leave Carol as he speaks. "Please determine the truth about what Agent Marvel speaks of." She nods and makes her way over to the superhero, introducing herself politely.

"I promise you won't feel a thing," she reassures her as she hovers her hand next to Carol's face, red feather-like magic flicking from bed fingers and her eyes glowing a faint red. I observed through the years that the more intense Wanda is with her magic, the brighter her eyes glow. After about fifteen seconds, her hand retreats and she turns to Fury. "Sir... she's telling the truth." Suddenly the integration door opens violently and none other than Maria Hill searches frantically around the room.

"Agent Hill," Fury says with confusion. Everyone presses even closer to the glass.

"Director Fury." She's panting. Hard. Whatever it is, she came here for it's extremely important. She hands him another iPad. "You might want to see this."


	8. Doubletake

(Fury's P.O.V)

"Is that me?" Agent Romanoff asks in disbelief. Agent Hill has brought me a video clip in the middle of my interrogation with Captain Marvel. When I saw it, I immediately knew we were being framed. The film wasn't of Captain Marvel, but Black Widow attacking the Eifell Tower. Once again, you could never get a clear view of the imposer's face, but they looked almost exactly like her. Grenades were being thrown in all directions as the imposter took down multiple guards at a time at an alarming rate. All agents were now sitting around a conference table, Agent Romanoff still holding the tablet in her hands.

"Whoever this is is going through great lengths to replicate every detail of you while still managing to keep their facial identity hidden from any cameras."

"How did she get from the far end of the country to a whole different one in less than two hours?" Tony publicly asks.

"There's no clear answer to that," I say knowingly while scanning all faces around the room. "For all we know, there could be more than one person involved, multiple decoys. For Christ's sake, we could even have a mole somewhere in this facility working on the inside right under our noses." I pause to receive the tablet back from Agent Romanoff when she hands it back to me. "Basically, we have no leads to go on except for what happened today. And if this person is going big with their targets, we'll have to expect they'll continue with that method."

"So what's our plan of attack?" Captain Rogers asks. Natasha crosses her arms.

"Is there anything we can do? I mean, we have no idea who it is." Sargent Barnes gives her a sly look from across the table.

"I thought you were the top tracker on the team." She slips him a middle finger from under her crossed arms and he smiles. Rhodey, who was helping me on the helicarrier for the past week, speaks up.

"Well the least we can do is help clean up the mess."

"There are going to be a lot of rumors and stories going around," Agent Barton says. He's sitting next to Natasha and Doctor Banner. "The press will be going insane." Tony throws a paper plane he was making during the meeting at him.

"Leave that to me," He assures as he watches his creation fly. "Just you wait, I'll have every news reporter in New York feeding the public the information I tell them."

"At least you're good for _something_ ," Steve mutters under his breath. Tony's childish glare is imminent but Steve ignores him with a satisfied smile. Vision looks at me, Wanda to his left and Tony to his right.

"Is it not possible to check the security cameras around the city?"

"Been there, tried that," I say so everyone can hear me. "This person blacked out all the leverage we had with discovering their identity."

"Wait," Wanda pipes up. We all give our attention to her. "So if Ms. Danvers was first and Nat was second, does that mean I'm next?" Her face holds a slight tremor of fear. "It's a woman, no doubt. The only other women on this team that's here are me and Claire."

"Ouch." Wanda glances just behind me to see Maria Hill with her usual black fighting suit on. Wanda winces.

"Sorry, Maria." She just shrugs and continues listening to the conversation as if nothing ever happened. I lean on the edge of the table.

"It would be likely, yes. We need to be prepared for anything and everything. Keep your eyes peeled, agents." Tony cracks a smile and glances around the table.

"What if they attacked New York next? Wouldn't that be ironic?"

**Song/s that Inspired this chapter:**

Oh, Hell - SoMo


	9. Too Little, Too Late

(Bucky's P.O.V.)

"I swear I was kidding," Tony states innocently as alarms raid the Avengers Tower hallways. He, Clint, Bruce, and I were all in his lab discussing new suit upgrades when red lights started flashing and Friday began informing us that something has just attacked the Statue of Liberty. "This is insane!" He yells over the loud noise as we hustle to the quinjet. Steve had already ordered everyone to suit up and meet at the jet. "It hasn't even been three hours since we got back and there's already another breach. Who the hell is this person?!" Quickly I race to the men's locker room, Sam already in there, and hurry to my locker with my spare suit. Steve does the same as he aggressively opens the metal door and takes out his combat pants. In less than a minute we're all running to the loading dock where I can see Clint already in the pilot's seat. Peter and Claire are in full uniform as they swing above us, shooting webs at the ceiling's rungs. Claire giggles as she passes us, her eye sockets narrowing and widening to match her true facial expression under her spider mask.

"Well, would you look at that, two walking fossils and a steampunk Phoenix from the medieval age! What a rare sighting!" Tony, who's standing by the ramp entrance in full suit with his mask lifted, smiles and laughs as the spiderlings land in front of him. He pulls Claire into a side hug and fist bumps Peter.

"Gee, I wonder where she got her sharp tongue from," Sam says loud enough so we can all hear. Claire gives him a wry smile before going over to Steve and playfully punching him in the chest a few times.

"I think I could take him, dad, what do you think?" Steve smiles at her and pokes her stomach where she's ticklish, small yelps escaping her as she struggles to get away.

"Nice try, kid. Come on, we've got business to take care of."

It's not long before we arrive at the scene. Wanda and I are peering out one of the windows of the quinjet. As predicted, there she is, the woman posing as Scarlet Witch. And she's making quite the scene. In fact, she's somehow managed to cut off the raised arm do the Statue of Liberty. You could still see the flaming red line from its cut-off point. Wanda shakes her head to herself next to me. I can feel the anxiety rolling off of her. It gets worse, though, when the imposer summons red magic, just like Wanda's, and uses it to slice off the remaining top half of the Lady's body.

It's then that Stark's voice rings through the jet. He flew separately, now hurriedly making his way to catch the falling debris so it wouldn't crush any tourists.

"Um, did I just see Wanda's signature sparkles come out of this actress's hands?!" Rhodey trails right behind him in his War Machine suit. "Do you have a long-lost triplet or something?" I place a reassuring hand on Wanda's shoulder and turn my attention to Clint. I can see the top of his head from the pilot's chair.

"Clint, can you get us closer?"

"On it." It's a jerky maneuver, but he does it, and when we get close enough I help Wanda out of the jet. Vision supervises, obviously contempt with making sure she's safe.

"Careful, Doll," I say as she almost trips on a step. Vision catches her swiftly and soon she's down the ramp, then she glances back at me. "Go kick some ass!" Her smile is genuine as she nods curtly to me with Vision next to her. I look up, quickly grabbing a gun from a holster on the wall of the jet and then walking next to Nat as she exits the jet, a small handgun in her hand. She glances at my bigger gun with a raised eyebrow.

"Jesus, you trying to kill her?" I shake my head still making my way to where the target was.

"Only tranquilizer bullets, don't worry." Peter, Claire, and Steve catch up to us a second later.

"I'm not. But I don't play with shitty bullets." She demonstrates by shooting at the air, the familiar crack of a bullet ringing in the air. Tranquilizer bullets didn't make the same cracking noise as a regular bullet.

"I think it's you I should be worried about." Soon the target realizes we're closing in and she runs around the corner of the statue so she's out of sight from us. We begin running towards her, Nat clicking her earpiece.

"She's on the east wall, just turned the corner!"

"We're coming around the other side," Wanda answers back.

"So are we," Tony says. My heart is racing as we grow closer to the corner, Nat, the others and I dodging around broken pieces of weathered down copper from the statue. We skid to a stop at the corner from coming in so fast and I shoot at the first thing I see that's moving. _Clink_. What? My eyes finally register that the person I shot at was Tony in his armored suit. Tony watches as the pointed tip of the tranq bullet taps him in the chest, then clanks to the ground. He, Rhodey and Vision are hovering next to Wanda. Then he looks back at me.

"I think I'm going to faint in about five seconds," he comments comically.

"Where the hell did she go?" Rhodey asks in confusion. We all glance at each other before slowly turning to the surrounding water around the island. Nat sighs next to me and I relax my arms, my gun hanging from one hand. Her tone is hard as she curses.

"Shit."

**Song That Inspired This Chapter: Made You Miss - Maddie Poppe**


	10. A Lost Identity

(Kore's P.O.V.)

 _Whip_.

I'm still as a rock, unmoving.

 _Whip_.

Even as the stinging pain continues.

 _Whip_.

 _Shit_. Tears threaten to form, but I hold it. I can't let them see. Let _him_ see. Three new gashes on my back, great.

"Vy byli pochti poymany, (You were almost caught,)" the Director says. His voice is almost predatory; like he's enjoying this. Watching me slowly unravel in front of him. My chest is heaving up and down, my breathing heavy as to contain the screams that wanted so badly to escape through my lips. He's circling me now.

"Eto bol'she ne povtoritsya, ser. (It won't happen again, sir.)"

"Nadeyus', net. (I should hope not.)" He stops directly in front of me. I'm still standing deathly still, my arms at my sides. He'd ordered me to dispose of my shirt so I was left in my training leggings and a sports bra, both black. The cuts from the whip were more easily made when there wasn't any clothing in the way. My hair was falling out of its ponytail from the intense training I'd been put through earlier today, many strands falling in my face. I could feel it sticking to my neck as sweat trickled down my body. It stung the cuts on my lower back. My eyes stare past his shoulders. His fingers reach up to twirl a strand of my hair. I swallow the growing lump in my throat and suppress the shudder that runs down my spine. I've never been afraid of him before. For fuck's sake, I could break him right here and now if I wanted to. Wait... but then, why don't I? His finger brushes my cheek as he continues and I clench my teeth together. Please stop... dear God, please make him stop.

"Znayesh', u tebya krasivyye volosy, (You have beautiful hair, you know,)" I don't say anything. There's a small pause before he continues. "Khotya ya dumayu, chto eto vydast slishkom mnogo tvoyey lichnosti. Ty ne dumayesh'? (Though I think it will give away too much of your identity. Don't you think?)" My stomach clenches. _No... no, no, no, no_. I knew his reasoning was bullshit. He was just looking for power, a way to make my pride falter. I force my expression not to change, though I'm sure he can see the hurt in my eyes.

"Da, (Yes,)" is all I say because I know if I say anything more my voice will crack and I'll burst into tears.

"Khoroshiy otvet. (Good answer.)" Almost immediately he's handed a pair of scissors from a guard. But before he begins, he does the most unexpected thing I never would have imagined he would do. He grabbed my chin and forced me to look into his eyes. It took everything I had to keep a straight face as I stared into his extremely deep cobalt eyes. I'd never gotten the chance to look at his facial features either, surprisingly sharp cheekbones and a defined chin. He couldn't have been any older than thirty. There was a scar that ran from his right temple, across the bridge of his nose, and to his left cheek. Otherwise, I would have deemed him somewhat handsome. But now, at this moment, I hated him with everything I had in me. He seems to be waiting for something. With as much control over my actions as I could muster, I dare to stare harder into his eyes, a silent challenge I make only recognizable to me, before muttering.

"Slav'sya, HYDRA. (Hail HYDRA.)" He releases my chin abruptly and disappears behind me, pulling on what's left of my ponytail and taking out my hair-tie. Damn, I'm going to hate myself after this.

**Song That Inspired This Chapter: Russian Roulette - Rihanna**


	11. I Am My Mortal Enemy

(Kore's P.O.V.)

I hated it. I hate it now. And I'll hate it in the future. My eyes glare back at me as I stand in front of the mirror in my small, cramped bathroom. My hair was cut jaggedly in many places, some strands shorter than others. It looked shaggy, unkempt, horrible. The rage inside me continued to build the longer I looked. Apparently, there was another reason the Director had insisted on cutting my hair; I was going on another mission. And this time, I was impersonating the one and only Bucky Barnes. He'd already told me everything I needed to know and told me I was being extremely useful to him. My gaze wanders to the hair that frames my face, and I sneer. I look too much like him, the traitor. There are too many resemblances. Angrily I punch the mirror with my ironed fist, the glass cracking and forming multiple individual mirrors.

I'm summoned about an hour later to get myself ready for the mission. The room I'm taken to is full of different outfits and a variety of other weaponized gears. The Director is there, telling me to suit up with my given outfit, and then to come back when I'm done. I take the box I'm given by a scientist in a lab coat and am showed to a changing room. I don't start changing until the door is closed behind me, and then I uncover the large box. Inside I find an exact replica of what the Winter Soldier wore when he was still in pursuit. The image makes my blood boil, but I force myself to put on the clothing, starting with the black combat pants and then the one-sleeved vest. The rest of the outfit takes little time to complete as I look at myself in a nearby mirror and scowl at the reflection. My 5'6 stature has been boosted to 5'9 with the boots I was given and it's now that I realize each clothing item is padded to give me more of a filled-out, muscular look. _Jesus Christ_. When I walk out I'm handed a mask to cover the lower half of my face. After putting it on, I look forward so the Director can get a good look at me.

"Otlichno, (Perfect,)" He says. "Teper' idi. (Now go.)"

The wind whips my hair as I splice through the air, my fisted hands in front of me. I was told I'd be attacking the Wall of China today. Surprisingly it doesn't take long for me to get there. After all, I was manufactured to be able to fly three times faster than the speed of sound. When the target comes in sight, I land away from tourists behind a tree, my trenchcoat covering my body and hiding my disguise. The mask is in my right pocket, grenades in my left. When I'm sure the coast is clear, I take off my coat and quickly put on my mask. I have many more bombs strapped to my built, so I take the few grenades that were in the pocket and save the others for later. Taking a deep breath, I reveal myself from behind the tree, glaring at everyone who stops to look at me and making my way closer to the wall. When I'm about a hundred feet away, I pull the clip of one of my grenades and roll it bellow an arch of the structure, smirking when it explodes and fire erupts. The screaming of the people around me doesn't bother me at all. I've got other things to take care of. I continued throwing the explosives at the historic structure, a small tingle of satisfaction coursing through me when another bomb erupts from the stones. When I'm out of ammo, I take out my only smoke bomb and thrust it at the ground. The smoke begins oozing from the ball, and I wait until the smoke is thick enough to make my getaway into the air. When I'm airborne I click my given earpiece and shout over the loud gusts of wind.

"Missiya vypolnena. (Mission complete.)"

"Khorosho. Teper' idi v Italiyu. Kostyum repika budet zhdat' vas. (Good. Now go to Italy, the suit replica should be waiting for you.)"

(Bucky's P.O.V.)

"You have got to be absolutely shitting me." I pull on my hair in disbelief as I watch the newscast on the lounge TV. Steve and Tony are both sitting next to me on the couch, Peter sitting on the floor together in front of the coffee table and Claire laying between his legs. The camera shows me attacking the Great Wall of China with grenades. My head falls into my hands and my elbows lean on my knees. Tony claps me on the shoulder just as Clint walks in and sits on one of the side sofas.

"Hey, at least we know that metal arm of yours can come in handy. I mean, look at the way you're chucking those things out there!"

"Dad!" Claire scolds him. "How would you like it if _you_ were the one being framed?" Suddenly the footage changes to a different scene, and instead of the ribbon at the bottom of the screen saying Huairou, China, it says Piazza del Duomo, Italy. And now a flying Iron Man suit is racing through the air shooting beams of intense energy at the lopsided building. Claire immediately closes her mouth and sinks into Peter's lap sheepishly when she sees it.

"Well, at least it's not leaning anymore." We all look at Clint, who has a plate with a peanut butter and jelly sandwich on it. He's about to take a bite when he notices all eyes are on him. "What?" He asks innocently. "It's true." Claire gives him a childish grin.

"Just because it's true doesn't give you the right to say it out loud." He furrows his brows at her.

"Didn't I teach you that?"

"Yup. Maybe you should take your own advice." They stick out their tongues at each other before turning their attention back to the TV.

"So..." Peter trails off. "The tables have turned quite a bit, huh?" I hear Steve sigh next to me.

"Yes, Pete, they have. Which means we have an even bigger problem."

"And that is, what?" Tony asks sarcastically. "The fact that this person has just impersonated two more people on the team? Or the fact that Legolas over here has way too much jelly on his sandwich?"

"Hey!" Clint retorts, but Tony ignores him. He did have a lot of jelly on it, actually. I could see it dripping out the bottom of the bread.

"Well for one, all leads we had on who the person was are gone," Steve states. "Because we thought that maybe since they were only impersonating the girls, they might be a woman. But this," He gestures to the television screen of a reporter talking about the incident. "changes everything."

"So what are we gonna do?" Peter asks, turning around the look at us.

"The only thing we can do at this point." Steve gets up off the couch and rolls his shoulders. "We wait."

**Song That Inspired This Chapter: Can't Be Tamed - Miley Cyrus**


	12. One More Day

~Two weeks later~

(Kore's P.O.V.)

The suit is deadly. Flashy. Beautiful. It's me. Just looking at it makes me feel powerful. I still couldn't believe. Tomorrow was the day. It's like I was in a museum, the assassin's suit cased in an unbreakable glass box. There was a light shining down on it to give a more intense effect. I had the Director behind me watching my every move, studying me. I raise my right hand and let my fingertips drag along the cool glass. It's intoxicating, being so close yet so far to something you can't yet have.  
"Ty molodets, Kore. (You've done well, Kore.)" He comes up closer behind me. "Vy mogli delat', kak ya prosil, ne zadumyvayas', dazhe bez vliyaniya triggernykh slov, (You were able to do as I asked without hesitation, even without the influence of trigger words,)" he says. He inches closer. At this point, I can feel his breath on my neck. I press my entire hand against the glass, never taking my eyes off the suit. I don't want to. His next words are barely a whisper. "I vam udalos' sozdat' kazhdogo iz Mstiteley za mesyats. (And you managed to frame every single one of the Avengers in a month.)" The memories of my missions and the people I impersonated flood my thoughts. Iron Man, Hawkeye, Thor, even Captain America. I attacked multiple landmarks, like the Golden Gate Bridge, the Taj Mahal, and the Notre Dame Cathedral. Countries all around the world resent the Avengers now, and all it took were some diversions and a few disguises.

"Kogda ya uydu? (When do I leave?)" He straightens his posture and places his hands on my shoulders.

"Zavtra utrom. No snachala ya podgotovlyu tebya. (Tomorrow morning. But first I have some training for you.)" He snaps his fingers and I'm handed a pair of spandex and a sports bra. I sigh. This means I'm going to be running. "Vstretimsya na trasse cherez pyat' minut. I ya by ne khotel, chtoby ty opozdal. (Meet at the track in five minutes. And I'd hate for you to be late.)" I immediately hurry to my room and strip off my leggings and long sleeve shirt, scrambling to put on the tight fabric and struggling to put my hair in a small ponytail. It's still choppy and jagged, but it's not like I had scissors to fix it. I nearly trip down the hallway as I sprint to get to the track. _This is going to be hell_.

~The next day~

Yeah, it was hell. But as undoubtedly tired as I was, I wasn't able to sleep. The thought of being able to finally get revenge gave me too much of an adrenaline rush to relax enough. So I stayed up all night, thinking, training, remembering what was taken from me. And when the door opens for a guard to retrieve me, I'm already walking out the door. No words exchanged, not even a glance in their direction. My attention is solely focused on today. The suit is still encased when I enter the room and the Director is standing next to it, a tablet in his hand.

"Ty spal, kak ya tebe govoril? (Did you sleep like I told you to?)" He asks. My expression is hard, determined as I stalk towards the suit.

"YA mogu spat', kogda ya umru, (I can sleep when I'm dead,)" I retort. My trail stops when I'm in the exact same spot I was yesterday, looking up at the suit that's perched on the manakin. "Davay sdelayem eto. (Let's do this.)"


	13. Civil War

(Bucky's P.O.V.)

I watch Tony with boredom as he continues going through the security footage. After he was framed he's been restless with figuring out who this person is. Claire and Peter are here, too, working on something that has to do with their web-shooters. Nat is staring out the window talking to Bruce, Clint is busy beating Steve at darts with Sam watching, and Thor, Carol Danvers, Vision, and Wanda are all conversing by the couch.

"Damnit," Tony curses to himself with frustration. My head is resting on the table with my hands under it to act as a pillow. Today felt like a lazy day to me, so I had jeans and a tee-shirt on. "Oh, come on! Get the hell out of the way!" I lean over to catch a glimpse at Tony's hologramic screen and see the face of a pigeon in the way of what's happening. It causes me to snort with laughter. Tony, on the other hand, is not amused.

"Tony, you've been at this for weeks now," Nat says across the room. "Maybe you should give it a rest."

"I'll 'give it a rest' when I figure out who this imposter tin-man is."

"Now you're starting to sound like Fury," Clint mutters under his breath. Suddenly something crashes through the window, the object rolling across the floor and stopping close to where Peter and Claire are working. Everyone stops what they're doing, pausing to look at the object in confusion, my eyebrows furrowed as I lean over the table to get a better look. My stomach drops when I see the blinking light on the circular nozzle. I scramble out of my chair and race to tackle the two away from the grenade. Steve says exactly what I'm thinking.

"Get down!" It explodes, blowing a hole in the floor and causing everyone to fall from the blast. Luckily I was able to get them behind a table in time. The explosion causes the windows to shatter. When I look back up over the table I see Vision has a forcefield around Thor and Wanda and Carol is using her powers as a shield to protect Nat and Bruce. I look farther right to see Steve, Clint, and Sam all rising from some broken glass that fell on top of them. Tony managed to suit up fast enough to keep himself from harm. Then something catches my attention in the corner of my eye. My gaze is pulled to the sky, and that's when I see a woman dressed in a red and black bodysuit with many strapped-on pockets and a belt filled with weaponized explosives. The lower half of her face is covered by a mask, but the characteristic that really catches my eye is her arm. It's exactly like mine. And her hair is almost the exact length that mine is, too. And she's... flying?

"Uh... M-Mr. Stark?" Peter stutters. He's still holding Claire tightly in his arms. Steve stands fully and follows my gaze out the broken windows.

"Avenger's assemble!"

(Third Person P.O.V.)

Balls of light form in Kore's hands as she hovers in the air, admiring the little destruction she was able to cause. Her short hair whips in her face as the wind picks up, strands of it floating in front of her eyes and back again. After making sure Bruce and Nat are safe, Captain Marvel flies towards Kore, her suit fabricating onto her skin in thin air, with Vision and Iron Man trailing her. The smirk on her face is greatly noticeable as they inch closer and closer, and then the villain thinks to herself: _This is going to be fun_. Captain Marvel strikes first, her energy blast firing from her hands. Kore simply moves to the side, letting them barely pass her body. In return, the brunette launches herself at the Captain in the air, tackling her and smashing her into the side of the building with great speed. The force of the impact causes the building to sway. Bucky and Steve trip as they're gearing up, unable to keep their balance. It's not until they hit the ground floor that Kore finally lets up off of Marvel. She's knocked out cold. Cautiously she retreats to finish off the others. She wasn't going to rid of Marvel just yet. Even if it was Kore's plan to rid of them completely, she needed to focus on weakening them first. And with Marvel out of the picture, that would make things all the easier.

Kore pushes off of the ground and rips straight through the middle of the building until she's flying above it, then turns toward Iron Man, who's charging for her.

"Friday, deploy missiles." The hidden missiles in Tony's shoulder compartments reveal themselves and fire at the masked girl, but she just shoots at them with her power blasts. She can sense that Vision is behind her, closing in fast. Tony is still flying towards her at top speed. He obviously has no intention of stopping any time soon. She waits until the last second, her body tingling with anticipation until she finally drops out of range and the two heroes collide with each other. But her focus faltered and she wasn't able to detect the incoming explosive arrow that Clint shot at her from a bashed-up opening in the tower.

It hits her in the side, small sparks flying when it explodes, and she looks to him with an extremely annoyed expression. Her lips just barely sport a conniving smile, but she knows no one can see it. She's got her own tricks up here sleeve. Clint is getting ready to fire another arrow when he looks up and realizes he's in trouble. He can feel his stomach drop as he watches the girl conjure a red, flaming bow and arrow using what looks like Wanda's magic and firing it directly at him. His reaction time is cutting it close as he dodges behind a pillar and listens as objects are blown to pieces around him. He sighs when his mind registers his still alive, but the relieving feeling is gone when he hears a cracking sound above him. Slowly he looks up, a grimace covering his face as he listens to the familiar sound. Sure enough, the pillar is cracking quickly, and if he doesn't get out of there he'll become an ant under a boot.

"Shit." The pillar begins to crumble and he covers his head under his arms to protect himself when someone swoops in and grabs his arms, pulling him through the air and away from danger.

"Not today, Archie." Clint doesn't have to look up to know it's Sam. All he can think is how glad he is that he was able to suit up fast enough.

After firing her arrow, the bow dissipates and her attention is turned to the group of people running out of the building entrance. Kore makes her way to them, landing ferociously with so much force that the road cracks around her, and cars are forced to stop, causing the roads to jam and honking horns to blare. Kore isn't worried about them, though. Her main focus is on the adults in their Halloween costumes only a dozen feet away from her. She analyzes them in the few seconds she has, recognizing everybody and letting her blood boil dangerously high. There before her stood Thor, Captain America, Black Widow, Hulk, Wanda, Bucky Barnes, Spider-Man, and... Spider-Girl? That's new. Was she a recent addition?

"Who's first?" She asks them with a glare. Steve returns the look back to her.

"So you're the one that's been setting us up." Car alarms slice through the air from crashes and people are frantically running away from their vehicles.

"Awe, you noticed me."

"How could we not," Peter mutters. He was standing protectively in front of his partner, who was in a white, pink, and aqua suit.

"Who's your new friend? I don't think I've seen her before." Peter moves even farther in front of her but doesn't respond. Hulk roars in anger and Thor is getting impatient, bouncing on his feet to finish what's been started.

"Enough talk!" Thor, who's standing just behind Steve, takes a few steps forward before whipping his hammer at Kore. But she doesn't move. Doesn't even flinch. Instead, she catches it. In her hand. Without any trouble. Thor's face immediately drops and everyone else's expression follows, showing great dread and disbelief. Kore swings the hammer as if it were a keychain.

"Cool Mjölnir," she says. Peter is the next one to talk, his voice high with confusion.

"Who the hell _is_ this lady?!" Kore catches the Mjölnir in her hand again, admiring it for a second. Her head is still lowered when she lifts her eyes, the effect of her head tilt heightening the glare she holds. And when she does, she looks directly into Bucky Barnes' eyes, because she knows that when she takes off this mask and says these next words, he'll know exactly who she is. Because now she didn't have to hide anymore. She didn't have to wear disguises. She wasn't an invisible threat. She was _here_. And now she was finally going to get the justice her family had deserved all those years ago. Slowly she rips her mask away, revealing her full face, her jaw warm from being contained in the thick fabricated plastic. Kore's voice is hardly a low growl, a harsh whisper.

"I'm the Perfect Assassin." The chills that run through Bucky's are life-shattering when he hears her words, and he feels as if everything is frozen in time as he stands there with his mouth ajar. _No way._ There's no time for Bucky to explain to his teammates who this woman is as she fires Thor's hammer right back at him and he's thrust into the broken-down building, and the spiderlings rush to aid him. Black Widow attempts an attack at her with a gun, the bullets coming fast and hard, but Kore shields herself with her chaos magic. When the two women are close enough they begin to swing at each other with punches and kicks. While they're in combat Kore can sense Hulk barreling towards her, so she kicks Widow away before landing a hard one on the monster's jaw with her metal arm then blasting him away with her power orbs. Steve is busy helping Natasha when Wanda steps up to the challenge, her hair floating with energy and her eyes glowing a fierce red. Her hands burst with chaotic magic as she stalks toward the assassin.

"You won't win." Kore summons her own red magic, eyes glowing the same as Wanda's and hair floating with antigravity.

"That's what they all say before they get their asses kicked." Wanda lifts her hands and summons many empty cars that surround them, throwing her hands down to drop them on top of Kore. Kore creates a red ball around her to shield herself from the attack, then outstretches her arms to bring the entire building crumbling down on top of everyone. Wanda realizes what she's doing and now uses her powers to try to keep the building from crashing to the ground. That should keep her busy for a while. A flying object catches her eye, and she realizes both Iron Man and Vision are back. Quickly she turns to them and uses both hands to project beams of light at each hero. In response, they both stop in their tracks and fight back, Tony by firing his own power at the beam with his hands to stop it from hitting him and Vision using his Mind Stone to do the same. Kore pushes against the forceful power, her feet dragging painfully against the ground, but she keeps her balance and doesn't let herself budge anymore. Her beams slowly start creeping farther and farther up the lines, her end becoming longer and creeping closer and closer to each Avenger. But it all falls short when something, or someone, knocks out her knees from behind, and she falls to the cracked road pavement. When she turns to look at her executer, she finds Captain America readying himself in a fighting stance. Rising to her feet, she furrows her brows at him and creates a red chaotic sword. All the while, Tony and Vision are firing at her, but they keep missing because they don't want to hit Steve by accident.

"Shouldn't you be in a museum or something?" Swinging her weapon in her hand she begins slashing at him, his shield now sporting new scrapes and scratches.

"They didn't have room for me, I had too great a history for them to record all of it." Kicking his own feet from under him, she lets her sword dissipate before blasting him away with her beams, then swiftly grabs a clip-on electric detonator. With all her strength, she chucks it at the front of Tony's suit, and the moment it comes in contact with his chest, the suit shuts down and he begins to free fall.

"Tony!" Sam jets back into the air after him right as he drops Clint off on the ground next to Bucky, who's still standing completely frozen in shock as he watches Kore. Clint desperately grasps the soldier's shoulders and shakes him violently.

"Buck! Come on, snap out of it!" Bucky blinks a few times before realizing he was spacing out, then nodding to Clint before going to help Tony and Sam. They make it to where Sam and Tony land with a thud.

"With this suit powered down I can't move or get out," Tony yells through the thick metal. Bucky tried pulling off the detonator with all the strengths he's got, but it doesn't budge. It's embedded into the metal. "Go help out the rest of the team, I'll figure it out." With a quick glance between the three men, they decide to listen to Tony and race back to where the fight is.

"Where's Carol?" Clint asks, suddenly realizing she's nowhere to be seen.

"I'll go find her," Sam offers, readying himself into a takeoff position. But Clint retaliates.

"No, we need you in the air. I'll find her." With a curt nod, Clint parts from them and runs in a different direction.

Meanwhile, Kore knocked Hulk out with a headbutt and he turned back into his nerdy, lab-rat-self. Nat was beaten up pretty bad from being tossed everywhere, and Kore had gotten some pretty good contacts in on her, so she was by Bruce, protecting him in case the assassin came back to truly finish him off. Wanda was running out of energy with trying to hold up the falling building, and Vision was desperately trying to help her so that she could reserve her energy longer. Steve was currently trying to help evacuate people out of the area. Tony was still powered down, he'd half lied when he said he'd figure it out. Now Thor and the two spiderlings were in full pursuit of Kore.

"I heard you're a god," Kore says to Thor as he approaches her. "Let's see what you've got."

"I'd rather be a god of true-given power than a mortal with false abilities." He calls upon his Mjolnir and summons lightning down onto the assassin. Kore struggles against the intensity of the electricity. It courses through her body, ignites her. It's so powerful it causes her to fall to her hands and knees. When it finally ends, she's panting, her hair fanning around her face so that no one can see her expression. Just as the attack of lightning ends, Sam and Bucky round the corner and slow to a stop when they realize what's just happened. Slowly, Kore rises to her feet again, her body flickering with electricity, and when she looks back at Thor, her eyes are glowing a blinding white. Kore's body levitates from the ground, her hair floating around her face as she smiles evilly, almost as if she were the Cheshire Cat.

"Even if this _mortal_ can do _this_?" She harnesses her electric power into a huge ball above her head, letting it grow dramatically, then throws it toward the Norse god and fires. His scream is deathly as the blast hits him and he slumps to the ground in a tired heap. Patches of his skin are blackened with char, his cheeks smeared with dirt, and the bottom of his cape ripped. The electric charge in Kore's body dissipates and she's drained, but not done. Not even close. Her suit is ripped and gashed in many places from the lightning, but that's the least of her worries. She senses someone coming up behind her, and she whirls around to nail Steve's shield just as he's about to attack. The force causes him to shoot to the ground, and Kore takes another swing at the shield again, this time cracking it down the middle. Her metal arm repeats the motion, and this time it splits completely in half. With one more swift movement she lifts her arm to punch him one last time. He doesn't have anything to protect him now, this was her chance. But when she goes to swing, something latches onto her arm. Whatever it is, it's holding her back. Angrily she turns her head to find what's restricting her. It's a string. And it's attached to that puny little boy in the spider suit. With almost no effort at all, she pulls the string with her flesh hand and forces the boy forward with a yelp. He's coming in too fast, and he can't stop himself in midair. Peter can't control his actions as he's pulled right into the metal fist of the assassin, and he's passed out.

"Peter!" Kore's eyes flicker to the other spider when she yells for her partner, but then zone in on the winged man rushing at her in the air. Using the web that was shot at her, she lassos it around the Falcon's foot and yanks him to the ground with a thud, then crushes his wings with her metal fist and knocks him out with the other. He won't be flying for a while.

While all of that was happening, Clint managed to find Captain Marvel unconscious in a pile of broken cement. It took him a while to wake her up, but at least she was okay. Wanda and Vision couldn't hold the building any longer, Wanda screaming with pain as she used up any last drop of energy that she had left in her. She collapsed, Vision catching her, and the building crashing down. The huge building sways and knocks into other skyscrapers, more windows shattering and millions of more debris falling to the ground. It almost sparks a little flicker of joy in Kore, but she knows that won't happen until she's exterminated the Avengers.

Kore knows Spider-Girl is out of the way for now when she hears the girl trying to wake up her partner, which leaves her with only one person left that's here.

"Long-time-no-see, soldier," Kore says lowly as she kicks away Falcon's wing-suit.

"You're not supposed to exist," He says dryly as he makes his way farther out into the open. Kore shrugs one shoulder as she walks closer.

"Yet here I am." Kore rolls her left wrist, letting the light from the surprisingly sunny day reflect off of the illuminating metal. "You know, the arm really was an upgrade. I get to cause a lot more damage with it." Bucky stops.

"So I've seen." Kore's smile is cocky as she makes her way closer. "You've had some upgrades."

"And you're a traitor," She barks as she goes for a right hook at his face. Bucky's knee hits her stomach.

"I never wanted anything to do with HYDRA in the first place, Doll." She elbows him in the jaw and wraps her legs around his neck, choking him.

"Maybe that's why you failed," She squeezes tighter and a gurgling sound escapes him. "And why I'm the successful one of the two of us." Bucky is able to pry one of her legs away and throws her to the ground. Kore's hair is knotted and messy, full of dirt and grime, but she didn't care. Now Bucky clasps his metal hand around her neck and pins her to the ground. Her fingers curl around his hand desperately, but she shows no sign of fear on her face. She wouldn't dream of ever giving him the satisfaction.

"HYDRA was never successful and never will be." Kore catches him off guard and manages to knee him in the face. Bucky can feel the warm, metallic blood oozing from his now busted lip, but he ignores it. When Bucky falls to the ground, Kore uses this chance to hop to her feet and take out a gun from one of her holsters, aiming it directly at his forehead. Her glare is fierce as she watches him, waiting. But for what? She can't recall why.

"HYDRA should've killed you from the beginning." Bucky flinches as she fires the gun, but looks up in confusion when nothing happens. He sees another web attached to her wrist, pulling the gun away from him. And at the other end of it is Claire, brutally pulling with all that she can manage so that he doesn't get hurt. Kore grunts with frustration and tugs on the web like she did with Peter, ignoring that I'm still there and punching Claire in the stomach when she reaches her. After that, she rips off Claire's mask from the top, throwing her to the ground and pointing the gun at the now exposed girl. Claire looks up at the assassin in fear, her eyes barely containing how afraid she is and her breathing labored. Bucky watches intently, swiftly taking out a sedative. Claire closes her eyes, waiting for the bullet, but it never comes. Bucky glances at the assassin. She's frozen, her eyes wide and mouth slightly parted as she continues holding Claire at gunpoint. But, why isn't she moving? Bucky takes advantage of her distracted state, sneakily creeping up behind her and raising his hand to stab her with the sedative needle.

Kore feels like she might faint. This girl... it couldn't be. There's no way. She has to be hallucinating. But she looks exactly like her... almost to a 'T'. From her hair to her eyes to the way blinks so innocently. No... she died in Sokovia. Kore's next words are faltered. She can barely utter them, her throat is so tight.

"F-Farren?" She gasps as she feels a harsh sting in her neck. But she doesn't have a chance to figure out what it is, because everything goes black in an instant. Bucky catches her, the gun in Kore's hand falling to the ground with a small clink on the pavement. He looks at Claire, who's still in complete shock of what just happened. He didn't blame her, though. Bucky took a moment to take in the scene around him. Cars were on fire, the roads were completely decimated, and Stark Tower was utterly destroyed beyond repair. From the rubble, Bucky sees Steve rise with his broken shield. Steve grimaces as he stands, his body aching from the constant fighting. His eyes wander the surroundings, and when his eyes land on the three people a few yards away, he sighs and makes his way towards them. Clint joins them too, coming from the other side of the battlefield with Captain Marvel walking tiredly beside him, her arm draped over his shoulders. Bucky turns to Steve when he's next to his side.

"There," He pants. "Easy." Steve rolls his eyes while nodding his head. His voice is hoarse as he replies to his best friend.

"I'll call Fury."

**Song/s that inspired this chapter:**

POP/STARS - KDA / Full English Version

Tell Me Where It Hurts - Halestorm

Castle - Halsey

Nothing's Fair In Love and War - Three Days Grace


	14. Interrogation

(Bucky's P.O.V.)

Well, we're back on the helicarrier. In the interrogation room. Again.

Not everyone is here, though. Wanda is in the recovery room due to overworking her system. Her body ran itself down so much she went into a mild coma to regenerate itself. Vision hasn't left her side once. Peter has a pretty bad concussion from getting knocked in the head. Thor suffered a few burns from the lightning, but he shook it off like it was nothing. Bruce is back in the spare laboratory, he didn't really feel like being around everybody at once. Sam was pissed off that his wings got smashed, so him being the stubborn way he is, insisted on working on repairs for them back at his old apartment. He wasn't too happy with the assassin, and he even admitted that if he was ever given the chance to teach her a lesson, he wouldn't be able to contain himself. Therefore, Steve and I said he should probably take some time to cool off. Otherwise, everyone else was here.

Of course, despite her injuries, Nat had insisted on coming to the investigation. Her arm was bandaged up pretty good, but we all know that wouldn't stop her. She was too headstrong. Leaning against the table in the middle of the room was Steve, who sported some bruises on his arms but not much else. Thor's hammer was rested next to the super-soldier, but he was sitting in a chair on the other side of the table. Clint was sitting on the sofa on the far end of the room. The cuts on his cheeks from barely escaping the crashing building were unmistakable. Carol Danvers was standing next to the sofa with one foot propped up against the wall. Claire had pulled up a chair right in front of the mirrored glass, waiting for the interrogation to begin. She hadn't taken her eyes off the assassin since arriving in the room. She desperately wanted to know why the woman had called her Ferran, and why she hesitated to kill her.

The assassin was handcuffed to the table, her head down as she glared at the black snap-on bracelets that had been strapped onto her wrists. They were special handcuffs that drained away all powers from their host. Of course, they didn't fully disappear, the user still had their abilities. Just not when wearing the bracelets.

Tony sat in a rolling chair near the back of the room, his arms crossed in front of him like a kid pouting when they were told to go to the naughty corner.

"I hate her," He says so everyone can hear. "She tried to kill me." Claire looks away from the assassin for the first time in hours, turning back to glare at her father.

"Get in line." His eyebrows raise.

"Excuse me, young lady?"

"I'm sorry that this scary mutant lady powered down your suit." Her tone is extremely snarky. "I would have helped but I was too busy trying to save everyone else while being held at gunpoint." She then turns around and continues studying the woman as if nothing ever happened. Tony stays quiet but holds his hands up in surrender. I lean on the wooden trim of the window next to Claire and peer through along with her.

"By the way," I say quietly. "Thank you for saving me, Doll. I really owe you one." She shrugs.

"It's what we do." I leave her alone after that, noticing that she's definitely on edge after everything that happened today. Nat throws a small smile my way from the other end of the window and I return it. It doesn't last long, though.

"I should've known," I start. "That she was the processing project HYDRA was creating." I shake my head, all eyes on me now. "After HYDRA fell I didn't even think to consider that maybe they were still running the experiments."

"Don't be so hard on yourself, Sargent," Carol reassures me. "No one could have seen this coming."

"But that's where you're wrong," I say with denial. "I've been so focused on keeping my time as the Winter Soldier locked away that I couldn't see through the cracks." Before she can answer, Fury opens the door. He has a file in his hands. It's big. He drops it on the table and eyes everyone in the room.

"Who wants to try first?"

**Song that inspired this chapter: Still Counting - Volbeat**


	15. Third Time's the Charm

(Bucky's P.O.V.)

"How long has it been since we started?" Tony asks impatiently. Steve was the first to offer to start the investigation, and after an hour of trying, she hadn't said a word. Hasn't even given him a sideways glance. In fact, it was taking so long that we all took turns changing into more comfortable clothes. I'd decided to wear regular jeans and a black tee-shirt.

Now Nat was trying. She figured maybe that the assassin would feel more comfortable opening up to another girl. But so far it was going just the same as Steve's interrogation, not a single word slipping past her lips. The assassin didn't even look like she was listening. She always kept her head down so we couldn't see her face. I would've thought she was a statue by how still she composed herself. Clint, who's still sitting on the sofa, glances at his watch.

"About two-and-a-half hours." Tony throws his head back in frustration.

"Jesus Christ, guys. Obviously, she's not going to talk to anybody. Let's just try again tomorrow. Or maybe never." He pauses, then nods his head and looks at me.

"Yeah, I like the second option."

"We need to monitor her at all times," Carol reminds us. She gave up on standing a while ago, so she took a seat next to Steve on the table. Thor was seated next to Clint on the couch, and Claire hadn't moved a muscle as she continued sitting in her chair. I took a seat for a while, too, but decided to stand again.

"I think Claire's got that covered," Tony mutters. I glance ever so slightly to my left and watch Claire. Her eye twitches and she looks like she's going to kill someone. I could tell she was going to blow at any moment. In a split second, she twists her torso around and quickly aims her wrist at Tony. Next thing we all know, his mouth is webbed shut. The sight makes everyone laugh, even Claire. A minute later Nat walks in with the file in her hands.

"Hey guys, so-" She notices the smiles on all of our faces, then follows Steve's gaze as he continues laughing at Tony.

"Claire shut him up." Nat cracks a smile, too, but it doesn't last long. Steve glances back at Nat with a hopeful expression. "Anything?" She shakes her head with pursed lips.

"Nothing. Not even a sign of recognition."

"Let me try," I say suddenly. Everyone gives me a look. Clint raises his wrist again.

"It's almost ten o'clock. This old, fat dude needs his beauty sleep, so whatever you guys decide doesn't matter to me." He lifts himself from the sofa and slowly makes his way to the door. He has a limp; he must be sore. "If you need me you know where to find me." Tony simply gets up and leaves without a word. Carol sighs and rubs her eyes tiredly.

"I guess it wouldn't be all that bad to try."

"Well I'm going to go check on how the others are doing in the medical wing," Nat informs while handing me the file. "Good luck, Barnes." With a curt nod, I follow her out the door and take a quick glance inside the file. The first page has everything one would notice about her right away: hair and eye color, height, weight. I skip a few pages and skim through each paragraph, then pause when I see her family history.

_Mother: Leena Castens_

_Age: fifty-one_

_Date of Birth: December 16th, 1968_

_Date of Decease: May 1st, 2015_

_Cause of death: Murder_

_Attackers: HYDRA_

My stomach drops when I read the last line to myself, and then my eyes skim to her other family members... all the same. I pause before the door and take a deep breath before unlocking the door to the interrogation room and walking inside silently. The assassin still sits there unmoving as I make my way to the opposite end of the table from her. I move my chair to the side but don't sit down, and set the file down on the table with my left hand to make sure that if she looks at all, she'll be able to see my cybernetic arm. It must have worked because she finally speaks.

"Getting that desperate, huh?" I open the file and then cross my arms. She still doesn't look up from her daze.

"You've kind of left us no choice." She blinks once.

"Good." I watch her for a moment before glancing down at the crowded papers, flipping through them and reading certain passages I think will be important. My eyes are skimming through a passage when I catch sight of her birth name.

"So let's start this off real simple, Doll," My gaze flickers back to her. "How old are you and what's your name?" Her nose scrunches.

"Well, it's definitely not _Doll_." I roll my eyes.

"Just answer the question." She's quiet for a minute, probably deciding whether or not to tell me her real name.

"I'm twenty-five. As for the name, it's Kore."

"Your _birth_ name." She finally looks up, and her stare is directly placed into my eyes. She still has her battle suit on, most of the leather fabric ripped and a few cuts showing. All of her weapons have been eliminated. Her hair is tousled and messy, but surprisingly, it's not a bad look for her. Up close I could easily deem her an extremely attractive woman with her plump lips and icy blue eyes.

"That name died along with the girl I used to be." I sigh and furrow my brows at her.

"Well, just for kicks," I read her name off of the paper. "Angela Korina Castens." She nearly snarls when I say it out loud.

"Don't know her."

"Stop being difficult, Ang-"

" _Kore_." I huff with frustration and cross my arms in front of me.

"Fine, _Kore_. The more difficult you are, the longer this will take, and the more you have to deal with me bombarding you about questions you don't want to answer." She smirks, an expression I haven't seen of her since she tried to kill me.

"I've got all the time in the world." I grab the chair next to me and swing it around so the when I sit in it my chest is pressed against the backrest. When I'm seated I place my arms on top of the backrest and raise my eyebrows at her challengingly.

"So do I. So start talking."

 **Song that inspired this chapter** : Heathens - Twenty One Pilots


	16. Imprisoned

(Angela's P.O.V.)

He's been here for... what, three hours? I'm not sure, there's no clock in here. For all I know, it could've been ten minutes. Either way, this whole interrogation thing is going way too slow for me. So far all I've really confirmed was that Kore was only a cover-up name.

"Why don't we move on to your little stunts around the world," Bucky suggests as he closes the file. I look at him in confusion.

"Why'd you close the file?" He's looking at me intently now, his eyes slightly squinted as he leans on the backrest of his chair. Over the course of our conversation, I'd changed my posture so I was leaning on the table with arms crossed and rested on the table. Bucky didn't even look the slightest bit tired. Was he used to staying up late like this?

"Everyone's gone to bed, no one is watching us." I scoff, a small smile of disbelief playing on my lips.

"You expect me to believe you?" He shrugs.

"That's your choice."

"There are still cameras."

"It's a requirement. I'm giving as much leeway as I can, Doll." I make a gagging sound and pretend to dry heave.

"Stop calling me that. I'm an assassin from the two-thousands, not a prissy school girl from the nineteen-forties." He smiles knowingly.

"I know. But I'm not calling you Kore." I bite the inside of my cheek. So he was going to play dirty about this.

"I'd rather you called me by my horrid birth name than call me Doll," I growl. "But then I get to call you by your first name, too." His smug smile is still there. He knows he's winning and getting on my nerves at the same time. God, if I had the chance to go back in time when I had him at gunpoint, I would. And I'd do it sooner so that the job was really done.

"I'm fine with that." He gestures his hand to himself, then me. "James, Angela," He repeats the motion backward. "Angela, James."

"I already know who you are, dumbass," I spit. "You used to be the mascot of HYDRA before you got away. Everyone in the industry knew who you were." I sigh as I think about my time there. Training, running, being experimented on. I shake my head to myself, not knowing what else to say.

"Let's get back on topic," He says. "How'd you frame us all?" I laugh once to myself before looking directly into Jame's eyes.

"Costumes and wigs. It's not that hard to fool the public. Or the Avengers, apparently."

"Hilarious," He says sarcastically. James nods his head to my hair. "You didn't use a wig for me, though." I swallow a lump in my throat. Images of that day come flooding back into my mind. How the Director pulled and tugged on my once long hair. The revolting way he grazed my cheek with his fingers. The sound of the dull scissors slicing away the only thing that kept me close to my family. My grandma loved my long hair... always told me to never cut it and that it was undoubtedly beautiful. And yet the deathly thing thread that was keeping my heart from splitting in two was snipped away in less than a minute. I hadn't cut my hair since the incident in Sokovia just for that reason: to feel like I still had something that connected me with my loved ones. My tone is cold when I respond.

"The haircut wasn't my choice." He looks at me with confusion, his fingers drumming on the file in front of him.

"So you didn't cut it?" I shake my head gently.

" _I_ didn't."

"Then who did?" I squint at him.

"You know who did, James." He blinks before swallowing a lump of his own and looking away uncomfortably. It's silent for a long time after that. All the while I had tears brimming my eyes, but I used my hair to cover my face whenever one threatened to fall. I didn't dare let it, though. I didn't cry in front of people. Ever.

"Well I think I'll leave you to the rest of your night," He says suddenly as he grasps the file and starts heading for the door.

"Wait," He pauses and looks back at me. In these couple of moments, he does look tired. Like he hasn't slept in days. _What a drastic change_ , I think to myself. His eyes hold a small glint of something I can't figure out. "What time is it?" James searches my face for a moment, his eyes darting around my features like he's looking for something. He must have found it because he sighs a second later.

"Time to realize that HYDRA isn't your friend; they're your enemy." He leaves without another word and I'm left in the whitewashed room by myself again. I can feel a small tear escape from my watering eyes and I wipe it away quickly on my shoulder. _What the hell was that supposed to mean?_

 **Song that inspired this chapter** : Pretty Girl - Maggie Lindemann


	17. Only You

~One week later~

(Third Person P.O.V.)

Fury had everyone in a meeting again. Since capturing Kore and bringing her onto the helicarrier she hadn't said anything to anyone. Well, except for Bucky.

"In this file lies her entire lifetime of history," Fury explains to the team in front of him. "But that's just the basic stuff. The information we need is the information that we don't know. And we can only receive through Castens." That's what he'd been calling Kore since arriving. He didn't think that calling her the Perfect Assassin was relevant. Plus, it was too long to say and he had things to get done.

"So how are we supposed to get her to talk?" Bruce asks. Fury's gaze dances across the room, making sure he connects eye contact with every single agent sitting before him. The last person he sees is Bucky.

"The only person that's been able to get a word out of her mouth all week is Sargent Barnes." All eyes turn to look at the cyborg soldier. "I never did ask. What did she say to you?"

"Did she say why she decided to blow up my tower?" Tony asks sarcastically. "Because that's a lot of damage she caused and it can't fix itself, let alone for free." Bucky ignores him as he looks to Fury.

"The only things I was able to get out of her is the confirmation of her name and how she framed us." Fury raises an eyebrow at him, his hands grasping the edge of the table so he's leaning over the open file in front of him. Bucky glances down and recognizes the picture he'd noticed from last night. It's Angela at what looks to be a college convention. She's holding up a plaque, probably an award she won. Bucky had never seen her smile, but she was in this picture. The sight was oddly comforting for him. Her perfect teeth illuminated her raised cheekbones and shining eyes. In this picture, she was obviously very proud of whatever she'd done. Claire, who's sitting three chairs to Bucky's left, leans forward to speak.  
"I want to try to talk to her."  
"Um, absolutely not," Tony retaliates. "She tried to kill you." Nat raises an eyebrow at him and crosses her arms.  
"She tried to kill _all_ of us, Tony."  
"Not the point." He turns back to his daughter. "You're not going." She squints at him.  
"You know, the last time we had an argument like this it didn't end well for any of us," she says while gesturing her hands around the table. Tony sighs and sinks into his seat, resting his cheek in his hand.  
"That was not my fault," he mutters to himself. He was referencing the time Claire got kidnapped off the balcony. That was not a fun experience for anyone, especially Tony. Claire looks up at Fury with pleading eyes.  
"Something stopped her from shooting that gun, Fury," Claire reasons. "The emotion in her eyes when she saw my face wasn't that of an assassin. I can do this." Fury takes a deep breath and readjusts his eyepatch.  
"I don't care who does what as long as the job gets done." Bucky rubs the back of his neck and nods.  
"Claire and I can figure something out."  
"Keep in mind that Castens is a HYDRA assassin. Their _most_ _powerful_ assassin, may I add. And there's no doubt HYDRA will be trying to get her back into their custody."  
"But I thought we couldn't be tracked in the air?" Peter brings up.  
"To a point," Maria Hill suddenly says from across the room. "We're high enough in the air to go off the grid, but that doesn't mean we're completely untraceable."  
"So we're running straight into no-mans-land," Bucky comments. "That's just great."

"What's our time frame on this?" Steve asks. Fury closes Angela's file.  
"The sooner we can get the information-" he slides the file to the middle of the table for whoever wants to take a look. Wanda reaches for it first. "-the better. Agent Hill and I will be gone on a top-secret investigation in Egypt for the next six months, ironically about a plan HYDRA is trying to lock into place. Let that be your deadline. Captain Rogers is in charge while I'm gone. Any last questions, comments, or concerns?"  
"Yeah." Everyone turns to the man that spoke, which is Clint, leaning against the wall across from Fury. "What are we going to do if the girl gets out of containment?"

"She has the Chalantotte Bracelets on," Danvers tells him. "The only way she could escape is by fighting her way out, literally." Peter glances at Tony with a confused look on his face.

"Chalantotte Bracelets?" He whispers. Tony waves his hand at him in dismissal, whispering back to him.

"You're concussed, you won't understand."

"And you don't think she could do that?" Bucky retorts. He leans forward in his seat now. "I don't think you realize how intense HYDRA actually is." Fury eyes him warily.

"Sargent Barnes-"

"They literally train you to kill people, guys. And to do it in cold blood. There's no doubt in my mind that this woman has been brutally worked to exhaustion just so that she would be able to exterminate everyone in this room. Chalantotte Bracelets or not, she's still a deadly weapon and she needs to be kept in sight at all times because one slip up could mean that she's here one second and gone the next." He glances then gestures to Nat who's sitting at an angle across from him. "Castens was made to be ten times as deadly as our best spy. And if I remember correctly, she really did almost kill all of us." He takes a deep breath to calm his nerves. Fury is still giving him a concerned look when he finishes, and everyone else around the room has their heads lowered or eyes wandering as they uncomfortably recall how they'd been greatly beaten up by this female assassin.

"Well since you seem to know such a great deal about her, Sargent Barnes, I'm putting her in your care until further notice." Bucky's face numbs and he mentally facepalms himself. _Good going, Buck. You mouthed off again, now look what you've got to deal with_. "Is that understood?" Fury nods once in approval when he sees everyone nod their own heads to him in confirmation. "Good. Team dismissed." Each member individually takes their leave as Fury and Maria exit the room. Almost immediately, Claire approaches Bucky as he's getting up out of his chair slowly. He's still sore from training this morning. Nat hadn't been awfully negotiable with him today.

"You know we can't let her sit in that room for the rest of her life," She murmurs to him so no one else hears her. A slightly pained sigh escapes the soldier as he stands fully straight now, looking down at the young girl next to him. He valued her almost as a little sister.

"I know, Doll, but there's only so much we can do right now. You know just as much as I do that if we're not careful all hell could break loose in a matter of seconds." She nods her head disappointedly yet knowingly as they watch the bodies in the room slowly trickle down to just the two of them. Then Claire's furrow as a reassuring thought pops into her head. She looks back up at her tall friend.

"Do you think she was brainwashed when she attacked?" He shakes his head.

"I thought maybe she could have been by the way she acted when she saw your face for the first time, but the way she interacts when she's in the interrogation room greatly contradicts that theory." The two make their way back to the interrogation room, Bucky politely opening the door for Claire as they exit the meeting room. "When I asked her about her disguises she remembered who cut her hair. if she was under, she wouldn't have had a clue." They walk side by side down the main hallway.

"So, you think she's doing this willingly?"

"It's a possibility. There could be something under the surface, something that requires a little bit of digging, that could be feeding her desire to exterminate us."

"But we're the Avengers, Bucky. Our job is to help people, to protect those who can't protect themselves." They stop outside of the door that leads into the window-sided portion of the room.

"I know." He places his flesh hand on the door handle. "Which is why I'm going to do whatever it takes to figure out why she did what she did."

 **Song that inspired this chapter** : Civil War - Russ


	18. A Different Approach

(Angela's P.O.V.)

I tap my fingers on the table, my head laying on the cool surface of it as I wait patiently for another Avenger to enter the room and entertain me. I was surprised no one had come in yet. Usually, someone comes in and tries talking to me between morning and evening, but the only interaction I'd gotten with anyone today was from Black Widow bringing me my breakfast and lunch for the day. And even then, she hadn't said a word to me; just set the tray on the surface in front of me and left. I found it quite peaceful, actually. It was relieving not to have to hear anyone constantly asking me questions. A lot of the time I'd be answering their questions in my head so it sounded to me like we'd be having a conversation. It was amusing, some of the things they'd say after I'd 'answered' them. Sometimes I'd come up with my own snarky remark and have to try my hardest to suppress a smirk or a sly laugh. I had to be careful though because anything I said could be easily used against me in the future. I'm almost startled when the door opens and I flick my eyes to the person coming through the doorway. I publically groan when I see that it's James, though. He's the only one I've really allowed myself to talk to out of everyone that's come into this room.

"Oh goody," I call to him as he glances at me. He's still holding the door open. "I was just starting to get bored."

"Perfect timing, then. I brought some extra company." Suddenly a girl reveals herself from behind the door and takes her place standing next to James. My heart stops and I sit up abruptly when I recognize who she is. A huge flood of emotions crash down on me like a tidal wave, and it takes all I have not to freeze up again like the first time I saw her. Her hair is down this time, spilling around her shoulders like a waterfall. _I remember when my hair used to be like that_. James closes the door and offers the open chair to the girl when they make their way to the other side of the table. I wait for them to get situated before lifting my restraints, except for the black snap-on bracelets, above the table, and place them in front of me on the table. Their faces are awed when I begin rubbing my wrists, thankful that my skin is free of the uncomfortable metal. The girl stares at the handcuffs on the table, her voice shallow when she speaks.

"H-how did you..." I stretch my arms above my head.

"Here's a tip, fellas. Don't watch the mouth, watch the hands." I overexaggerate my point by throwing up some jazz hands before folding them in front of me. "Now I actually have a lot of stuff to get done before the end of the day, you know, gotta vacuum the floor, clean the bathrooms, dust the window sills. So let's make this quick, shall we?" I look around for the familiar file that's always carried in and out of her, but neither of the agents seems to have it. "Lost your file?"

"That's not the kind of talk we're here for." My eyes narrow when he says that.

"What the hell are you here for then?" He sighs and crosses his arms, glancing at the young girl sitting in the chair in front of him.

"Claire, this is Angela." His eyes flick to me now, our gaze connecting. "Angela, this is Claire Stacy." I watch as Claire's face lights up.

"Wait, Angela Castens? Like, the award-winning discovery of biophysics, Angela Castens?" _Oh God, here we go_. I avert my gaze and swallow a lump in my throat.

"I don't know who you're talking about."

"Well obviously _she_ does," James retorts matter-of-factly. I glare up at him with a steely gaze. He returns the act, then I catch his eyes drift to my neck and his expression goes cold. I realize he probably sees the scar on my neck and I quickly tilt my head so my hair covers it back up. Claire doesn't seem to notice our exchange as she continues, her eyes staying on me but her words directed to James.

"I learned about her in my Technology and Engineering class. She reconfigured biochemical experiments as we know them and created the idea of using spectroscopy to examine molecules from an entirely different perspective. She went down in history as the first person to detect the currents from single ion channels in membranes."

"Actually, it was double ion channels," I correct with a smug smile. "Nonetheless, I don't believe this is what you came to talk to me about." Claire shakes her head as if she were shaking off our last topic.

"Right, right. Let me just get to the point then." She takes a deep breath. "Why did you hesitate to kill me the day you attacked us?" The question hits me like a rock, and for the first time in four years, I don't know what to say. I debate whether or not I should tell her the truth, how she looks exactly like my sister who died because of the very people sitting in front of me. I don't realize how long I'm taking until James leans forward to see if I'm still alive. I clear my throat and look at the innocent girl sitting before me with her hands neatly crossed on top of each other.

"You remind me of somebody that I once held very close to my heart." She nods as she takes in my answer. I know James is analyzing everything I do and say. He probably even knows that my answer was vaguely true.

"So you thought I was her?" I nod my head silently as I don't know what else to say. In the four years that I'd been secluded by HYDRA, I'd never once been asked about my family because they either already knew or didn't seem to care. I only ever talked to myself about my family, especially my sister. "What happened to her?" My hands clench into fists on the tabletop and I know both of them can see it, but I could give less than a fuck about what they saw anymore.

"She was murdered by some really bad people." I feel a soft hand cover my flesh hand and my head jerks up, eyes wide, to see that Claire has gently placed hers on top of mine. My breathing is surprisingly shaky as we watch each other. Her expression is soft and innocent, just like Ferran was. Was she as kind as my sister used to be? Did she always feel the need to help anyone that couldn't help themselves? Did she always feel the need to do the right thing no matter what?

"I'm sorry," Claire says to me. "I wish I could've been there to help." I slowly pull my hand away, my gaze staring off in the distance. My voice is barely above a whisper.

"Me too."

 **Song that inspired this chapter** : Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm - Jeremy Renner


	19. Jagged Puzzle Pieces

(Third Person P.O.V.)

Bucky, Nat, and Steve were all in the computer room doing what they could to dig up more information about Angela. Yesterday when Bucky and Claire went to see her she'd given them slim amounts of information, but for Nat, anything was everything. Steve and Bucky were sitting in office chairs, both of them dressed in casual jeans and a tee-shirt, while Nat did her magic on the computer and Steve looked over the file in his hands. Nat was in her usual leggings and a hoodie.

"You said she went to college?" The redhead asks.

"Yeah," Bucky answers. "Claire mentioned something about biophysics or some shit." A few clicks later she responds.

"Got it." The two men look at her, waiting for her to continue. "She was a straight-A student at Stanford University, California, and received the Breakthrough Prize for discovering a new way to envision double ion channels in membranes."

"So she was smart," Steve comments.

"It seems that way." Bucky and Steve watch as Nat squints her eyes at the screen. "She dropped out of college in the middle of her third year, though. Her degree was never completed." Bucky's brows furrow.

"What do you mean? She got an international prize for Christ's sake, why would she drop out?" The woman shrugs her shoulders.

"You know just as much as I do, Barnes." She pauses before reading off some more information. "Castens lived in a country house in Nevada with her family and went to school in a little town called Golconda. The population there was only two-hundred-and-ten at the time."

"Jesus," Steve mutters. Suddenly a thought crosses Bucky's mind as he remembers something that Angela said last night.

"Wait, what year was it that she dropped out of college?" She glances back at the screen.

"Two-thousand-and-fifteen." Bucky glances at Steve next to him now.

"Angela- I mean, Castens mentioned last night that her sister passed away." Nat eyes Bucky warily at his quick correction. Steve might not have thought much of it, but Nat was going to keep that little detail locked in the safe of things to bring up later. "I don't think it's just her sister she was concerned about, though." Steve flips through the many papers, scanning each paragraph and glancing at some of the pictures before stopping on a certain page. Bucky notices his whole face drops as he's reading.

"Yeah, you're right." Nat watches as Bucky leans over to look at the page Steve had found the records on. He takes the file into his own hands.

"Well, Castens wasn't wrong when she said her sister was murdered by bad people." The brunette soldier looks up to meet Nat's green eyes. "It wasn't just her, though. It was her entire _family_." Nat cocks her head at him, her expression silently asking for more of an explanation. Bucky sighs. "Her family was murdered by HYDRA. It's even in the database of HYDRA's own records." The three agents exchange glances, then Nat speaks again.

"Wait, that doesn't make any sense. Castens works for HYDRA, she's an assassin for them. Why would she call them bad people?" Steve leans forward, his elbows now resting on his knees.

"She could have been taken by force after her family was murdered."

"But then why would she willingly be working for them?" Bucky asks. "She would have fought back, resulting in being brainwashed." Nat leans back in her chair.

"What if she had a reason to want to?" Bucky gives her a sour look. "Just, hear me out. What if something happened that really hurt her and she's using it as momentum?"

"But why would she take it out on us then?" Steve asks. "We're the ones trying to help." Bucky looks at him.

"HYDRA lies to get what they want. I know because I've experienced it first hand. They kept telling me that because of what I was doing I was finally bringing peace and freedom to our country. They probably did something similar to her, too." Nat nods her head as she thinks, a thoughtful expression plastered onto her face.

"Well, how about this," She suggests to her partners. "I'll keep trying to dig up some info and if I find anything, I'll let you know. Deal?" Both men nod and Bucky hands the file to Nat so she can use it, then they make their way to the door and head to the kitchen. After a few minutes of silence, Bucky finally breaks it.

"Something isn't right about this, Steve." Steve sighs and nods his head in agreement.

"Nat will figure it out, though. She always does." Suddenly he feels Bucky grasp his arm to stop him. His heart pangs when he turns to face his best friend. His expression is broken, almost like he's pleading.

"Steve, I can't let them get her. Whatever they've done to her is far worse than what I've gone through." Steve watches as his friend pauses and looks away for a second. Was he choking up? "Last night when Claire and I went to go talk to her, she looked up at me and I saw a scar on her neck. I could tell it was from a whip because I have scars like that too." He shakes his head. "I could barely handle things like that when I was under the trance. She's doing all of this completely sober. If she keeps up with it she's going to break herself so much she won't even remember who she is." Steve clasps his hand on his brother's shoulder comfortingly.

"She's going to be okay, Buck. You know we'll do what we can to help her." Bucky nods in understanding at his best friend's words. He just couldn't help the thought that maybe if he'd considered the Perfect Assassin Project was still happening that maybe he'd have been able to help her sooner; that if he'd known better none of this would've happened. Angela wouldn't be in a disguised jail cell, Tony's tower wouldn't be smashed to pieces, and none of his teammates would have gotten hurt. And maybe... just maybe... these butterflies that would come around whenever Angela looked at him would go away.

 **Song that inspired this chapter** : Help Me Now - Kevin McHale


	20. Theory

(Bucky's P.O.V.)

My body is hot as I watch Nat in front of me, sweat dripping down my cheeks as we circle each other in the sparring ring. She's pinned me three times. I wasn't going to let it happen again. She drives at me with a kick, which I use to my advantage by grabbing her foot and throwing her back. Before she can get back up, I grab her by the neck to hold her down and bring my other arm back as if I were to punch her. She sighs in defeat and narrows her eyes at me.

"Okay, I'll let it slide this time." I scoff, out of breath, and offer her a hand.

"When are you going to realize that every time you kick at me as a first move, I win?" She pants as she pats my shoulder.

"I do realize it. I just wanted to be done." She smiles as she reaches for her water bottle and I sit there staring at her mockingly, my mouth in the shape of an 'O'.

"Excuse me, Doll, I totally earned that pin. You just don't want to admit it." She shrugs with raised eyebrows.

"Guess we'll never know." I smile and shake my head, bringing my hands under the bottom of my shirt and using it to wipe off the sweat on my face. I'd forgotten to bring a towel with me today. "You seem chipper today, Barnes." I look at her with a small smile.

"What the hell kind of a word is that?" She shrugs and swallows her mouthful of water.

"A word proved to be real, sourced by the dictionary." Nat raises a brow at me playfully. "Now when are you going to tell me about your secret feelings?" My expression plummets into disbelief as I watch her smirk grow wider.

"Excuse me?-"

"You know, Barnes," She tosses her water bottle at me and I catch it, squirting a string of water into my mouth. "I'm one of the best spies on this team, you even said so. I was trained to read body language, notice the smallest details no one else would notice." Her lips quirk up into a confident smile. "And in the past two weeks since we found out about Castens' family, every time you've brought her up you fidget, stutter, and your mind is constantly scattered."

"More than it already is?" I ask sarcastically. She crosses her arms.

"Clint's noticed it too." I scoff and shake my head. _Here we go again_.

"Didn't you guys set up Claire and Peter? Because if so, I'm pretty sure this is how it started, and let me tell you, I'm not interested." She shrugs dismissively.

"Your body language doesn't say that-"

"Well, my mind does, Nat. Okay?" She holds her hands up in surrender and heads for the door. Meanwhile, I stay back to continue my workout, heading over to the individual weights. Working out usually helps me clear my head when I'm stressed about something, and in this case, I'm really hoping that it will do its job.

Since my last meeting with Angela, I haven't been able to get my mind off of a comment she'd made.

_Four days ago..._

_"You know, I never took you on as much of a singer." The more time Angela spent here, the more I'd discovered that she has a tendency to hum when she's bored. I found that out one day when I was on the other side of the mirrored window. I'd caught her in the middle of humming_ Out Of Love _, a song I recognized from listening to it on the radio. The sound made me stop in my tracks at first, and before I knew it, the song was over and I realized I'd been dazing off watching her. I stayed to listen to more, though, when I had nothing better to do. Something I noticed about her genre of songs was that they all had something to do with heartbreak or losing something. "Maybe it was the fact that you were dressed like an extremely overcompensated Power Ranger the first time I met you."_

_"Hilarious," Angela told me dryly. Over the course of her stay, she'd been brought spare outfits so she wouldn't have to stay in her overly damaged suit. Today Claire offered to lend her a pair of jeans and a white tee-shirt. It fit her nicely. She'd also helped Angela with her hair, touching it up and smoothing out the uneven strands to make it look less choppy. The first time Angela had seen Claire enter with a pair of scissors, she looked ready to attack. But after a few minutes, she slowly warmed up to the young girl and allowed her to help, even though she greatly rebelled against the idea._

_She stills seems to have her guard up at all times, and I've noticed she hardly ever lets anyone into her personal life. The only person she's seemed to open up to even a fraction of is me and Claire._

_"I've been told I'm extremely hilarious, Angela."_

_"Is that so?" She asks challengingly. "I'm not one to find things humorous. It's nothing but a waste of time."_

_"But that's the best part," I counter. "You laugh, joke around, have fun." I sit up from my previous slouching in my chair and lean closer to her. "Have you ever heard of that word? Is it a proven word in your dictionary?" My chest tightens when she smiles just the slightest._

_"I don't believe it is, James."_

_"Damn, what a loser." She lets her jaw drop as if the insult was much bigger than it actually was._

_"That was extremely rude, Mr. Barnes."_

_"Oh come on don't get all formal on me now, Ange." For the first time since meeting her, I'd watched her lips curl into a wide smile as she laughs softly at my words. At that moment all time seemed to slow, and all I could see was that girl at the college convention holding her prize and smiling so great her cheeks would surely crack if she smiled any bigger. My heart leaps at the sight but then sinks as I ask my next question. "Ange... you know you don't have to keep this up." At that, her smile slowly fades and her expression turns into that of a scared girl. Seeing her look so broken makes me wonder if this is the real Angela Castens; the scared, hurt girl that lost her family in the hands of her own captors. "I can see there's still good in you." I watch as her mouth lies ajar, her lips parted ever so slightly in the most innocent way. I can't see her hands, they're under the table, but I can imagine she's squeezing them together right now the way I've noticed she does when she's bothered by something. Her eyes bore into me, watching me, flicking around my face. And as I stare back into her own blue eyes, I can see just barely see that behind all of that toughness she's built up as her mask, there's really a vulnerable young woman pleading for someone to protect her. But in seconds, all of it disappears. Her face is hard again, her persona cold, and her tone soft yet sharp._

_"I don't need someone who sees the good in me," She says quietly. "I need someone who sees the bad and still wants me."_

I shake my head as the memory flashes back, and once again, I can't stop thinking about it. Damn it. This usually works. Dropping the dumbbells that I was holding in my hands, I sigh with frustration and grab my water bottle off the ground, heading up to my room to take a shower before lunch.

Song that inspired this chapter: Painkiller - Three Days Grace


	21. Mirrored Roles

~One month later~

(Angela's P.O.V.)

It seems like he's been coming in more and more. Half the time he doesn't even have my file with him, and I'm starting to think he just comes in here to talk when he has nothing else to do. About what, I'm not sure. I hardly ever give him any information, and I'm always careful to never incriminate myself. When he does have the file, though, the questions are usually based on my family history. I'm sure they already knew about everything that happened considering they were the ones who murdered them; maybe they were just trying to get under my skin and see if I'd break.

I've been trying really hard not to show too much emotion. The last time I did, James brought up that I could leave HYDRA and forget anything ever happened. He saw the vulnerable side of me and I didn't want it to happen any more than it had to. The door opens just as I rub my tired eyes, and I'm almost one-hundred-percent sure it's James. But when I look back, I'm not so sure it's him at first. His hair is shorter and his stubble is gone, his face clean-shaven. He's still wearing his usual jeans and tee-shirt though.

"You look like you just came out of the nineteen-forties." James shakes his head with a small smile while he shuts the door behind him and makes his way to the chair across from me. He doesn't have the file. Again. How many times is that now?

"Thanks for noticing." I shrug and slouch slightly in my uncomfortable chair.

"It's an upgrade from the shaggy bad boy look." He raises his eyebrows at me in surprise, his smile widening.

"I'm a bad boy now?"

"Everyone has a dark side." He nods his head gently.

"This is true." I swallow.

"Truer than you think." His head cocks to the side a little with interest.

"Why don't you tell me about _your_ dark side?" I laugh out loud and my eyes wander the room before meeting his. With his hair out of his face, I'm facing the true brilliance of how intense his eyes actually are now. They're a mesmerizing blue.

"You ask too many questions." He leans his head on his propped-up arm.

"That's my job as soon as I come into this room, Ange." Suddenly an idea pops into my head. I crack a small, quirky smile his way, my cockiness and wit showing through.

"Why don't I ask the questions?" He snorts.

"If you want to know about my dark side just ask." I squint at him a little, acting as if the action would somehow give me a better look at him rather than getting closer.

"I already know everything about you."

"Do you, now? What's my favorite color?-"

"Black." He raises an eyebrow at me, his face growing a more serious expression.

"Favorite food?-"

"Scooby Snack graham crackers, because it was one of your favorite shows as a kid. You've always wanted to go to Paris because you always believed in true love, and you wanted to take the love of your life there. When you were little you protected Steve Rogers from some bullies and that's how you became friends." At this point, I'm just rambling off things. "You never knew who your father was because he left your mother before you were born. You're an only child because after you were born your mother was unable to conceive any more children." By now his face is full of shock. I'm sure he doesn't know what to say. But then he speaks.

"Do you know what they did to me?" He asks quietly. "Why they did what they did?" My eyes stick to his for a second before I lower them in defeat. "I don't know either." He pauses and I don't say anything. "Sometimes I wonder why they chose me of all people. Why they thought I was so special." He swallows. "I can't figure out if they thought I'd be right because I was weak, or they needed someone strong to be able to handle the pain." Another pause. "I know why they chose you though." My eyes shoot up at that.

"You wouldn't understand." He leans forward, his gaze intense and intimidating.

"I'm the _only_ one who understands, Angela."


	22. The Hidden Truth

~Six Weeks Later~

(Bucky's P.O.V.)

"No."

"Steve, come on-"

"I said no, Bucky." Today after our morning run I confronted him about moving Angela into a more comfortable room since she's been here for over two months and hasn't even had the chance to sleep in a bed. He didn't like the idea too much. He's convinced Ange will use my trust as an escape plan and find a way to contact HYDRA.

"Please? What could possibly go wrong?" His strides are long as we walk side by side down the hallway.

"You know the answer to that." I roll my eyes.

"She's been encased in complete containment for ten weeks straight-"

"And we're going to keep it that way." He stops in his tracks and turns towards me, his expression stern. "I know you care for her Buck, but you have to think about the safety of your team first."

"I am. She's hurting, Steve, even if she doesn't want to admit it to herself. If we gain her trust she'll start giving us the answers we need."

"Speaking of answers," Someone half yells down the hallway. It's Nat. "I've got some regarding our little meeting a few weeks ago." She stops to stand with us, our bodies making a triangle.

"We'll talk about this later," He says to me before opening his stance towards Nat. "What'd you find?" Her eyebrows are furrowed and she looks disturbed, her face hard in the way Bucky almost always saw her when she was in battle or thinking about something. This couldn't be good.

"HYDRA's attack on Castens' family was no coincidence, it was planned."

"What do you mean?" I ask. She looks between the two of us as she explains.

"You remember when we fought Ultron in Sokovia, right? When we took in Pietro and Wanda?" Steve and I nod our heads. "Well, that happened in twenty-fifteen too..." She trails off. My heart beats heavily and I find myself dreading her next words. "HYDRA found out about Ultron and baited Castens' family there for a 'vacation', making sure that Angela was too busy with college to go. When everything went down in Sokovia, HYDRA murdered her family and told the girl that they died there during the fight."

"So they put the blame on us," Steve clarifies. Nat purses her lips and nods.

"They used her knowledge of biophysics to make her what she is today-"

"And they used her own discovery to give her all of the powers that she has now," I finish. The redhead nods again and I feel like I might throw up.

"Guys, she thinks that we killed her family."

(Angela's P.O.V.)

I'm in the middle of humming Heathens by Twenty One Pilots when the door is nearly slammed open and I jump in my chair. The scare causes my head to spin towards the door so fast I'm pretty sure I have whiplash, and my heart is beating faster than a child running from house to house on Halloween. I release a sigh of relief when I see James quickly closing the door and taking long strides to get to his usual spot across from me.

"How much coffee did you have this morning?-"

"I need you to tell me about your family, Angela." The question practically slaps me in the face as my hands clench in my lap and all color drains from my face. I can tell he's worried about something. He has an almost unrecognizable bead of sweat running along his hairline and his breathing is labored. _Did he run to get here?_

"That's a weird topic to start with considering you don't have the file today." He sighs, probably figuring I'd be difficult or try changing the subject.

"I really just need to know, please."

"Why?-"

"Because you think I killed them!" He blurts. My lips part and I'm left speechless as I stare at the man in front of me. Then I set my mouth into a straight line and put my cold mask back on.

"You did," I mutter. "Four years ago I got a call in the middle of my college class telling me that my family had been murdered in Sokovia." Tears begin to brim my eyes at the memory. I haven't physically talked about it in so long, it's more painful than I remember. "I dropped out of college after that. The pain was too unbearable to withstand." I swallow to collect myself before speaking again, my throat tightening and my hands constantly clenching and contracting in my lap. "And then HYDRA found me and made me their own. I got my life back and started doing what I should have done a long time ago... getting rid of you. Because all you do is cause destruction-"

"That's not true-"

"You were there James!" I scream at him, my chair flying back from standing up so fiercely. "The Avengers were there... _you_ were there. Earth's mightiest heroes. You were supposed to protect them!" James sends his own chair scratching the floor behind him, then he sends the table skidding to the side with his metal arm. My eyes are wide as I realize what he did, and then I'm stumbling back when I see him walking towards me. Eventually, my back hits the wall and I react with the first thing that comes to mind. I swing my left arm at his face, but he catches it with his own metal arm, throwing my hand away like it was nothing then slamming his hands against the wall next to each side of my head.

"Listen to me, goddamnit!" He yells. All words are caught in my throat as I stare up at the tall man before me. A few strands of his shortened hair are hanging down into his face but he doesn't bother to pull them back into place. His eyes plead me to stop, and I find myself unmoving as my chest heaves up and down with adrenaline. Normally my first reaction would be to defend myself, but I don't. James shakes his head gently like he can't believe what this has come to. What did he expect, though? That I would just roll over and die? He takes a deep breath. He's so close I can feel his breath fanning my cheeks. "On the first day I came in here and talked to you, I told you HYDRA was not your friend, but an enemy," He concludes. "I'm here now to tell you why I said that." My brows furrow and look into his blue eyes, trying to figure out what he's going to say to me next, but I can't figure it out. "Ange... HYDRA murdered your family." My body numbs when he finishes his sentence. My shaky breath is imminent in the deadly silence of the room.

"You... you're lying... they... they said that-"

"HYDRA says a lot of things," He says. His tone is much softer than what it currently was before. As I take in the full effect of what he's telling me, I realize that what he could be saying is true. When I was captured I thought that HYDRA didn't ask about my background because they simply didn't care. But what if they didn't ask because they already knew what happened... Suddenly all of the tears I'd been holding up over the years begin crashing down on me like a tidal wave. Streams begin falling down my cheeks uncontrollably and I shake my head as my breath quickens and I begin to hyperventilate. _No, no, no, I don't cry in front of people. Pull yourself together, Angela!_

"How do you expect me to believe you?" I ask defensively, not wanting to believe that what he just told me was true. I can barely see him through my watery eyes as he gazes at me, his hands moving from the sides of my hand to my shoulders. Any contact like this would have made me nervous, mostly because it was the Director who touched me this way. But here, I can feel that James isn't intending to hurt me. His touch is warm and comforting, something I haven't experienced in an extremely long time.

"I know what they've done to you, Ange," He whispers. "I know that they've tried to break you, whether you down." He squeezes my shoulders reassuringly. His eyes show pain and hurt. Why does he look sad? "And I know you're hurting." A random sob escapes my lips and my head lowers in agony. My own family murdered in the hands of the only people I thought I could trust... My knees buckled and I fall to the ground in a heap, my hands covering my face as I continue to cry. James closes his eyes and sighs painfully as I sit there against the wall, my shoulders shaking and breathing labored. A few seconds later he takes a step towards the door, but I quickly grab his wrist to prevent him from moving any further. He looks stunned when I do, and his eyes ponder my face for an explanation.

"Please... don't go..." He takes a moment to thinks about his options before nodding reluctantly and taking a seat next to me against the wall. We don't speak, just sit with each other and enjoy the other's company. But I'm sure he must feel awkward as I sit next to him bawling my eyes out. Somehow, though, at this point and time, there's a voice in the back of my head telling me this is right where I'm supposed to be. And that this is home.

 **Song that inspired this chapter** : Impossible - Shontelle


	23. A Change of Scenery

(Angela's P.O.V.)

I woke up differently today. Instead of a loud knocking on the door to wake me up for breakfast, James had shaken my arm to wake me up and then proceeded to give me a pair of clothes to change into for the day. A few minutes after I change, he knocks on the door before entering again. But he doesn't fully come into the room again when he does.

"Come with me, please." My eyes narrow in his direction.

"We're going somewhere?" It's been three days since James told me what actually happened to my family. I was still taking it hard, no doubt about that, but I was able to cover it up. Kind of. My eyes were still extremely bloodshot from crying so much. James smiles at me, a true, genuine smile.

"Yeah. I'll explain on the way." I take slow, cautious steps as I make my way to the door. He politely opens it for me, our arms brushing as I move past him and look around the hallway.

"I don't think you realize how good that felt just to walk more than three feet," I say to him as he closes the door.

"I can imagine." He turns to face me with a serious gaze. "Now listen. It took me forever to get you this far out of that damned room, and I can guarantee you three things. One, if you try to escape you won't get farther than ten yards down a hallway without getting caught, and if you do, you're going back in that cell and you're never coming back out, understood?" I nod my head. "Good. Two, do anything illegal or suspicious and you will not only have lost my trust but any trust you've gained from any other members of the team." I blink up at him. He's much closer than I'd expected him to be. "And three, you've convinced me that Angela is still in there," He tells me. "I want to help you, but I can't do that if you're still trying to kill me." I crack a small smile. "So if you're past your old ways, we'll be just fine. But if you're not, your old room is right here for you." He gestures his hand to the door they just came out of. What did I want? No doubt HYDRA is looking for me, and there's no way I want to go back to Russia after what they've done to my family... finally I glance up at James, his eyes searching mine for an answer.

"HYDRA lied to me. I want nothing to do with them anymore." He smiles softly and nods curtly to me before starting down the hallway.

"Now first things first," He says. "A great majority of the group still thinks you'll turn your back on us. If you're planning on sticking around we're going to have to change that. But for now, we still have to take precautionary standards seriously, meaning that unfortunately, those bracelets aren't coming off anytime soon." I glare at the black bracelets around my wrists. I never realized how much it sucks to not have your powers.

"Where are we going?" I ask. James stops for a moment to open a door at the end of another hallway, leading me into what looks like a bedroom.

"I know you'll probably want to kick my ass for this, buuuut..." I turn to him as he's closing the door, my eyebrow raised with suspicion as he sings the last word. "I was able to get you out of that interrogation room, however, Steve said that we still needed to take extra precautions, so..." I walk deeper into the room as he's explaining. I notice there's an opening in the wall to the left and walk towards it. The door to the opening is open and past it stands another individual bedroom. My stomach sinks.

"Are you meaning to tell me I have to share a room with you, James?!" He presses his pointer fingers together like he's a sheepish child. I turn to him, my eyes wide with disbelief.

"Oh come on, Ange, it's the only way I could reason with him." He squeezes past me and walks further into the separate bedroom. "I mean, you have your own bed and dressers and stuff. The only thing we really need to share is-"

"I swear to god if you say the fucking bathroom." His posture shrinks and he squints one of his eyes like he's waiting to be scolded. I slap his arm wildly. "Are you serious?!"

"What do you expect?! We're hovering millions of feet in the air, Angela, we don't exactly have a solid base for a waste supply unit. What are we supposed to do? Flush and say 'bombs away'?" The comment makes me laugh quietly to myself and I move past him to look at the rest of the room. One bed, a nightstand, a dresser, and a small window with a chair next to it. I mosey over to the side of the bed, dragging my finger over one of the soft pillows. I can't remember the last time I'd slept in a real bed. Taking a deep breath, I brace myself for my next words and turn to look back at the tall man still standing by the doorway. His arms are crossed in front of him, his expression softened as he watches me.

"Thank you, James." He smiles at me.

"You're welcome. Now come on, training starts soon." I give him a confused look.

"What do you mean?" He gives me a knowing look as his arms uncross and he strides into his personal bedroom.

"You heard me, we gotta go. Nat will kill us if we're late."

 **Song that inspired this chapter** : The Real You - Three Days Grace


	24. Take-Two

(Bucky's P.O.V.)

Well. She pinned all of us. And by all of us, I mean literally everyone on the team, even Natasha. Nat was pissed when she couldn't get close enough to Ange, and after a while, it started to get amusing. For me, at least. She was the closest person to be able to finish the deed, lasting a whole two minutes in the ring with the ex-HYDRA assassin. Otherwise, most of us didn't last thirty seconds, but Tony was the worst with a whole whopping five seconds. He even had his suit on. Angela wasn't even tired though, not even breaking a sweat, whereas the rest of us were barely able to catch our breath. Clint is panting hard as he lays on the ground in a defeated heap.

"Jeez, lady, you couldn't even take it easy on an old fat guy?" A few of us laugh, the few that have enough energy, and even Angela cracks a smile.

"I was taught to never show mercy."

"Obviously!" He retorts. Nat stretches her arm across her chest. It's probably sore from Angela holding it behind her to get her to surrender.

"What did they do to get you to fight like that, may I ask?" Angela folds her hands in front of her.

"I used to have to fight fifty men at a time."

"Are you kidding?!" Peter wheezes from across the small gym. He's lying on a bench near one of the squatting racks. "That's insane!" I watch Angela as her eyes fall to the floor.

"It was a requirement."

"It sounds like torture," Tony comments. Angela only nods her head softly, her eyes staying down. She's obviously uncomfortable talking about this so soon, so I speak up and change the subject.

"Well, since we didn't have the chance to properly introduce ourselves, why don't we start with that, shall we?" I take a step back so I'm leaning on the wall behind me, and I smile timidly at Angela when she catches my gaze. "I'm James Buchanan Barnes." My eyes float to my left where Tony is sitting.

"Tony Stark."

"Claire Stacy."

"Peter Parker." The names continue around the room, going from each Avenger to another until it finally rounds back to me. When it does, I gaze at Angela again, who's now leaning against the ropes that encase the sparing ring. I nod to her and she glances around the room at everyone.

"HYDRA called me Kore, but my birth name is Angela Castens."

"Kore?" Peter asks.

"Yeah. I needed a new identity after everything that happened, and changing my name felt right at the time."

"How'd you come up with it?" Wanda asks.

"I used the first syllable of my middle name, which is Korina."

"Angela Korina Castens," I mutter to myself. It was a beautiful name in my opinion. And it was only fitting that a beautiful name would be passed on to a beautiful woman. Steve makes his way into the ring and stands in front of Angela.

"Well, Angela," His hand extends out in front of him and she takes it warily. "Welcome home."

 **Song that inspired this chapter** : Home - Vince Staples


	25. Replay

(Angela's P.O.V.)

After James brought me training with everyone I spent a majority in my bedroom. I was still wary around everyone even if they were trying to help me. As much as I was stuck in a room for the past two months, being able to sit in my bed without cameras and a two-sided mirror was really nice. I'd taken a much-needed shower and put on a pair of night shorts and a tank top, and in the process, I'd discovered a sketchbook in the nightstand drawer. I cock my head to the side as I pick it up and turn it in my hands. Did James read in my file that I used to draw in high school? Either way, being able to sketch was important for what I had to do in college. It really helped me see things from a different perspective.

I'm in the middle of drawing a memory about my sister when there's a knock on my slightly open door. I'm so focused that I jump and quickly flip the book upside down on the bed so you can only see the cover. I scratch my neck awkwardly when I see James in the doorway, his eyebrows raised amusingly from what he just saw.

"What's up?" I ask him. He jerks his thumb behind him toward the main door that leads to the hallway.

"It's Thursday so the team is having a movie night if you want to come." I glance at the clock on the nightstand closest to the door.

"It's almost nine, don't grandpas like you go to bed by now?" He smiles at me, his expression still amused.

"Very funny. Pretty good looking grandpa though don't you think?" I roll my eyes and shake my head with a smile. "Hope I didn't startle you too much." My heart beats wildly as our eyes connect and I clear my throat.

"You're just lucky I didn't have a knife or something. That wouldn't have ended well." He chuckles before taking a step back into his bedroom.

"Are you sure you don't want to come?"

"Yeah, yeah I'm sure." He disappears behind the wall, his voice slightly muffled.

"Suit yourself. If you need me, text me." He tosses a phone at me when he passes the door again and I hear him open the main entrance then close it. When I'm sure he's gone I flip my book back over and study my progress so far. The finished product will have Farren hugging me from behind as we sit in the grass, both of us laughing together. We'd always go down to the small stream in the backyard when we were younger. I sigh as I pick up my pencil and begin shading in parts of my beloved sister's face.

I'm still awake when James gets back and my eyes drift to the clock again when I hear the front door open. Twelve-thirty. Has it really been that long? During the course of his absence, I'd gone to the bathroom, so my door was barely open just enough to see him walk past. I'm almost done with the drawing when the bathroom light being turned on catches my eye, and I instinctively look up from my book. I wish I hadn't though.

Through the crack, I can see a shirtless James, his old shirt in his fisted hand as he peers at himself in the mirror before him. He sits there for quite a few seconds, just looking at himself. I can see that he has scars on his back from his time with HYDRA. His reflection showed a muscular chest -which also held some scars- and biceps, and I never realized how defined a collarbone he had. It was... attractive. _Jesus, knock it off, Angela!_ But as much as I wanted to, I couldn't help myself. I hadn't seen a guy this way since college, and even then I'd never thought this particularly about anyone before.

Then he turns towards the bathroom doorway to toss his shirt into the hamper and his full upper body is shown to me, making my cheeks redden. _He's got a six-pack?! Damn_. My trance is finally cut short when he flicks the light off and walks past my doorway. I blink with realization and bite the inside of my cheek, forcing myself to turn my attention back to my drawing. But even as I see things that need more shading, my hand doesn't move. My mind is too caught up in what I just saw to focus on my task at hand. Sighing with defeat, I bookmark my page and place it next to my clock, turning off the lamp and covering myself up with my soft covers. I'd almost forgotten what it was like to sleep in a bed. The softness of the mattress is almost unnerving, and I feel unnatural using the pillows given to me. As I curl my body up into a ball, my imagination runs wild. James keeps running through my mind, and not just because of what happened a few minutes ago.

I start to think about how he's acted towards me. How from the minute he walked into that interrogation room for the first time, he was never rude to me about anything, and when the rest of the team called it a night he made the decision to stay back and talk to me on his own terms. James came in on days he didn't have to, and he didn't even bring in my file half of the time. He just wanted to talk to me, to get to know me, to _understand_ me. _'I'm the only one who understands'_.

He insisted on calling me by my real name or he'd result in calling me Doll instead. My stomach clenches. ' _Let's start this off real simple, Doll_ '. I'd found it revolting at first, but when I remember the way he said it, the way he stated it so plainly... I almost want him to say it again. Almost.

Then my mind goes back to the way he'd looked at me when he caught a glimpse of my scar. I move my hand to graze where it was on the right side of my neck. The raised skin reminds me it's still there. The look on his face when he saw it was pained, sorrowful. It made me feel like what was done to me wasn't right, that I deserved better. And thanks to him, I believe it now.

 **Song that inspired this chapter** : Replay - Zendaya


	26. Denial

Bucky's (P.O.V.)

"Have you made a move yet?" I'm on my way to breakfast when I'm joined by Nat in the hallway. And just my luck, she brings up my 'crush' on Angela. I roll my eyes and shake my head.

"No, Nat."

"Why not?" She prods.

"Because that's not what's going on. You've got the wrong idea." She smirks to herself.

"I think you just don't want to admit it, Barnes." I scoff at her as we round the corner.

"You keep telling yourself that." When she doesn't answer I glance down at her. Her smirk is still there and I squint my eyes with hope. "You're not going to stop, are you?"

"Nope, but nice try." I sigh, accepting my fate even if it's not what I wanted to hear. Angela was a nice girl, a woman with great potential. Even if I did accept any sort of feelings towards her I'm sure she wouldn't want anything to do with me. For God's sake, she's been forced to share a room with me for three weeks already. I'm surprised she hasn't tried to escape out the window yet. Nat and I enter the small dining area, noticing that Steve and Sam are already there. But I'm caught by surprise when I see Angela walking away from the kitchen area with two apples in her hands. She's making her way in my direction.

"Where'd you come from?" I ask her with confusion. "I left before you." Her smirk reminds me greatly of Nat as the space between us narrows.

"A magician never reveals their secrets." I quickly catch the apple she tosses to me as we pass each other and I watch her for a second as she continues before turning to the other three people in the room. Steve's hands are shoved into his sweatpants pockets as he arched his eyebrow at me, Sam giving me a similar look and Nat just smiling next to me.

"Barnes has a crush on Angela-"

"I do not!" I blurt to cut Nat's accusation short. Steve laughs while Sam gives me a weird look.

"Since when does Bucky have a crush?" He asks.

"I don't," I retaliate, my arms outstretched at my sides with annoyance. I turn my head to the side to look at the woman next to me before bringing my apple to my lips and taking a bite. "Can you go back to bothering Steve now?" Her hair sways as she tilts her head from side to side, her face scrunching goofily to imply she's contemplating my suggestion.

"Hmmm. Uuuuhhhh Nah, that's not fun." She continues following me to the fridge where I grab a bottle of water since I have an apple already. I have early patrol today so I have to train sooner than usual. "I set you up to patrol with Vision, right?"

"Yeah, why?" Each week everyone is given a different partner and time to watch over New York. It's a way for us to stay in tune with what's going on while being able to learn how to work together with different teammates. Nat shrugs.

"Just making sure. I've got Clint."

"You _always_ get Clint." She smiles at me and leans against the countertop.

"Be in charge of the schedule and you'll get first dibs on your partner," She says flauntingly. I roll my eyes.

"And I'm assuming you have the late shift again?" One corner of her mouth tilts higher than the other as she smirks slightly.

"As always." I sigh as we look at each other.

"You know, one of these days I'm going to have to hack the schedule. You know I hate having the first shift." She shrugs her shoulders innocently.

"Oh well, life isn't always fair." She pauses, her eyes shining with devious knowledge. "What if Angela just happened to be your partner next week?" I finish my apple and toss it into the trash can.

"You know she can't leave the facility. Besides, she's not a member of the team."

"Yet," She mutters. I raise my eyebrows and point my finger at her accusingly as I start to make my way to the gym.

"That's enough outa' you for today." Nat practically sings her next sentence like a child.

"Have a good day, Barnes."

(Nat's P.O.V.)

I watch as Bucky makes his way down the hallway towards the gym, my feet taking me back to where Steve and Sam were still standing. Their conversation was cut short when they both noticed my knowing expression on my face.

"I know that look," Steve announces. "What are you thinking about, Nat?" I raise my eyebrow at the two men in front of me with crossed arms.

"You guys aren't as oblivious as Metal Arm over there, are you?" Sam laughs out loud with a scoff.

"Of course not. You could see his interest in her from a mile away." Steve's eyes squint at me but his lips are softly upturned into a playful smile.

"What are you getting at?" He asks, both of them now intrigued. I glance between them, my lips pursed together to try to contain my smile.

"I think it's time we find out if she likes him, too."

"Okay," Sam nods. "And how do you expect to find that out?"

"Simple," I say. "We see if she gets jealous over him."

 **Song that inspired this chapter:** What Am I - Why Don't We


	27. Unexpected

(Angela's P.O.V.)

I make my way to dinner later that night by myself as usual. I get there around six-thirty to fill my plate with mashed potatoes, green beans, and steak kabobs that Clint offered to make. They were extremely delicious, I'd never tasted anything like them. I decided to hang around a little longer to see if James would arrive back anytime soon. He had patrol with Vision earlier today. Sure enough, just as I was placing my empty plate in the dishwasher, Bucky and Vision arrive - still in full uniform - to catch dinner while it's still warm. My stomach flutters when I see James making his way towards me, a smile forming on his face when we make eye contact.

"Hey, Ange," He greets. I open the cupboard above me with a smile and grab a clean plate, then hand it to him. "Thanks."

"You're welcome. How was patrol?" He moves around the counter to place food on his plate. His suit is similar to what I wore when I attacked Stark Tower, except it's entirely black.

"Boring. Nothing ever happens in the early day." We walk side by side to the dinner table where Steve, Sam, Clint, and Nat are sitting. Tony came down earlier to grab his plate and take it back up to his lab; typical Tony behavior. Wanda and Vision joined us moments later, otherwise, everyone else already ate. I noticed that Sam and Steve glance at each other and then at Nat, but don't think anything of it. Nat speaks as soon as we take a seat, James and I both sitting next to each other.

"Hey, you never did tell me how that date went with that girl, Barnes." I immediately felt the air being sucked out of my chest. Then my stomach dropped so fast I thought you'd hear a crash the way you did when Tom and Jerry dropped something in their cartoon world. I felt James stiffen up next to me, too. Then he sighs.

"I swear to God, every time I sit at this table." Everyone laughs around us and even I force a giggle out of my mouth too. The fake smile hurts more than ever, but what did I expect? I should have known something like this would happen.

"Seriously though," Nat continues. "I can't keep searching forever."

"Please feel free to drop out at any time," James replies. Normally a closing statement like that would imply that the conversation is over, but Nat keeps pushing forward with the topic.

"Her name is Molly right?" By now James is staring daggers at her from across the table.

"Mary," He corrects through clenched teeth. I clear my throat and rise from my chair. I didn't feel like being here anymore.

"Well, I'm bushed. Have a good night you guys," I say as cheerfully as I can through my masked expression. I manage to keep my smile until I turn the corner and my face falls, the heaviness of my heart making itself known. I should have known. He could do so much better than someone like me anyway. I hold my wrists out in front of me as I make my way back to my shared room, the black bracelets more than familiar to me. _He shouldn't like someone that has to wear these, anyway_.

<<<<<<>>>>>

I can't sleep. It's four in the morning. And I've been up all. Goddamn. Night.

What the hell is wrong with me? I've literally tried everything: reading, writing, drawing, exercising. And James hasn't left my mind once the entire time. After working up a sweat I'd wanted to take a shower, but I decided to wait until morning because in order to get to the bathroom I'd have to go through James' room. Therefore, I decided to change into a pair of shorts and a tank top instead. Why couldn't I get over it? What was the big deal about him dating other women?

I huffed with frustration and tugged my bedsheets off of me, my footsteps carrying me to the door that conjoined our bedrooms. Maybe if I talked to him everything would be fine. But as I lifted my hand to knock on the door, I froze. What if he tells me he's dating someone? Will my heart quiver the way it did when Nat brought up another girl? My hand lowers back to my side with defeat and my forehead collides with the door with a small _thump_. Damn, I was overreacting about this. Big time. I was so lost in my thoughts I didn't hear arriving footsteps on the other side of the door, and before I knew it someone opened the door I was leaning on, causing me to fall on top of whoever had done it.

**Songs that inspired this chapter:**

Time - NF

Boyfriend - Ariana Grande & Social House


	28. Doll

(Angela's P.O.V.)

I fell with a yelp as the thought had completely blown past my train of thought that it could happen. I realize I'd fallen on top of James when I lift my head from his bare chest. He almost never wore a shirt to bed. My cheeks heat with embarrassment as we stare at each other for a few moments. I can imagine he's just as frazzled as I am. I wouldn't have expected us to be in this situation either.

"Sorry," I mutter quickly. He blinks up at me with confusion, his eyes swarming my face for an explanation. One of his arms is wrapped around my waist to protect me from the sudden fall. I swallow, my mouth suddenly dry as we continue to lay on the carpeted floor.

"It's okay. I thought I heard a knock at the door so I got up to check on you." My unkempt hair is disheveled from tossing and turning in my bed, spilling over my shoulders and around his face like a waterfall. To my surprise the length of it has grown significantly since I'd arrived here, almost reaching just below my shoulder blades. It's dark, none of the lights are on, and I can barely make out his facial features. I can see him better as my eyes adjust to the darkness, though. Our faces are close, our noses barely touching. And I find that we seem to be growing closer and closer, our lips barely scraping together.

"Um..." I don't know what else to say. I'm too caught up in the situation for my brain to function. My heart is racing, my head pounding, and my mind blank. My breasts are crushed against his hard chest, one of my legs lifted as if I were to half-straddle him. I try to speak, but nothing comes out. What must he be thinking right now? I shake my head to clear my thoughts and finally find the common sense to lift myself off of him, reaching my metal arm down to him when I'm equally balanced. He takes my hand with his own metal arm, the material making a clinking noise when it connects, and I help him up. "What are you doing awake?" I finally ask him, trying to make our current position less awkward. He takes a step towards me when he's thrust forward so that our bodies are almost touching again. The thought makes my body ache for the feeling again, but I push the urge deep down and try my best to ignore it.

"I thought you knew everything about me," He retorts with a sly smile.

"I wish," I suddenly blurted. My eyes widen with realization and I stare up at James, a playful smile playing at his attractive lips. "Wow, I really said that out loud. I'm sorry." He just nods his head with a small laugh.

"I have nightmares. It's hard to sleep sometimes." I bite my lip and look down for a moment before glancing at his upper body, noticing his scars up close for the first time. Reaching up, I hover my hand over one that's located on the left of his chest. My eyes gaze up at him, silently asking for permission. The moment is more intimate than I take it for, his eyes intense with emotion as he watches me before taking my hand in his own and placing it on top of the scar. He lets my fingertips trace its edges, my touch light as a feather as I gradually continue to the other scars around his exposed upper body. When I begin moving to his back he stops me though, his flesh hand gently taking mine and detaching it from his skin. I glance back up at him, my trance broken.

"I'm sorry, James." We both know I'm referring to the person that gave him these scars in the first place. I watch as he swallows, his Adam's apple bobbing as he does so. He nods in response to my apology. His eyes leave mine for the first time and he turns his attention to my neck. Immediately, I know he's looking at a scar of my own; the scar he caught sight of back in the interrogation room. James mimics my movements from before by lifting his own hand and grazing his finger along the raised skin, my head tilting to give him a better look. I take in a sharp breath when he touches me, not because it hurts, but because it's arousing. He pulls his hand away, his face alarmed.

"Did I hurt you?"

"No," I say quickly. "No. I've just... never had someone who understands." I notice both of our breathing patterns are heavy as we grow closer to each other. Our gaze connects once more, and the process repeats itself all over again as our noses brush, then our lips.

"I understand," He whispers as he licks his lips. The action brings my attention to them even closer, and I find myself wishing I knew what he tasted like. I don't give in to the temptation, though. I can't let that happen. I look down at the ground, my cheeks warm and my head feeling fuzzy as I take a deep breath to regain my senses. It's hard not to be pulled back into the trance when I meet James' eyes again.

"If you need anything I'm always here," I tell him quietly. His eyes glint mischievously.

"Anything?" His voice is low, captivating, _attractive_. I swallow, my mouth is still dry.

"Of course." I feel my neck cranking higher to look up at him as he looks down at me, his tall stature easily dominating my smaller one. He's only a few inches taller than I am, but any kind of situation like this could give the illusion that he's all the more powerful than me. I feel his fingers graze my cheek gently as he pushes my hair behind my shoulder. Then his palms cup both cheeks at the same time, his lips brushing closer for the third time. "James..." I whisper. "W-We can't."

"You said anything," He whispers huskily. His eyes shine as he holds my attention. My mind is screaming at me to stop, but I don't know if I want to.

"I..." The only other movement there was between us were my hands placing themselves over James' hands on my cheeks. "What will your girlfriend think?" He pulls away from me slightly, his facial expression confused and disoriented.

"What?"

"From dinner," I clarified. His hands left my face, my skin chilling from his disappearing warmth. He smiles slightly with a small chuckle.

"Nat only did that to see if she'd get a reaction out of you," He explained. "I scolded her after you left the dinner table." My shoulders slump forward with relief at the news. _Thank god_.

"Okay." My brows furrow when I think more about what he just said. "Wait, a reaction?" He nods.

"To see if you'd get jealous." My eyes widen with understanding.

"Oh..." James chuckles at me, the sound angelic and handsome. "Well, uh, I think I'll probably try taking a shower," I say randomly. At this point, I'm just trying to change the subject. He narrows his eyes at me for a split second.

"I think I'll join you." My blood runs cold as he continues to look at me, his eyes occasionally glancing at my parted lips.

"O-on second thought, I call dibs for the shower first thing in the morning." He smiles at me as I make my way back to the door I fell out of.

"Whatever you prefer, Ange-"

"Doll," I interrupt. He looks taken aback when I turned to face him just as my hand reaches the doorway. I'm blushing madly. "Call me Doll." He smiles the widest I've ever seen him smile before as he nods, his hands shoving themselves into his sweatpants pockets.

"Okay, Doll." I bite my lip to suppress a smile, my body pressing up against the doorframe.

"Goodnight, James." My hand reaches for the door handle, pulling it slowly.

"Goodnight, Doll." The door shuts with a click, and my body relaxes as I take a deep breath to calm myself. My legs carry me back to bed and I cuddle myself back under the covers, falling asleep in seconds.

**Song that inspired this chapter:**

Senorita - Shawn Mendes/Camilla Cabello

Side Effects - The Chainsmokers/Emily Warren


	29. The Setup

(Bucky's P.O.V.)

The past couple of days have been excruciating for me. Angela could be extremely enticing at times, and I found that it was hard not to think about her. Everyone was in the dining quarters for breakfast. Claire and Angela offered to make pancakes, which of course, no one objected. Carol Danvers decided she'd better head back into whichever galaxy she left from so she didn't stay for breakfast. Since it was Sunday, Steve decided to give the weekly meeting speech.

"This week's patrol partners in the order of each shift is as follows," He says loudly so that everyone can hear him. His eyes glance down to a sheet of paper on the dining table. "Clint and Wanda; Vision and Nat; Bucky and Angela-" My eyes snap to Nat who's already looking devilishly at me. I shake my head at her and in return she mouths a 'you're welcome'. "-Sam and Peter; Claire and Thor. Tony has been working on new suit upgrades so please see him at some point. As for Director Fury's status, we still haven't heard from him." _Damn_. It's already been three-and-a-half months and he hasn't contacted us yet? That's odd. Angela leans close to my ear from next to me.

"Did I hear that correctly? I'm on patrol duty?" She asks.

"You sure are, Doll." She scrunches her nose at me.

"Why?"

"Because we trust you," I say with a shrug. She gives me a hopeful look.

"Does that mean I can finally get rid of these?" She holds up her wrists to me, showing me her black bracelets. I had forgotten she even had them on in the first place.

"Let me see if I can convince Steve later, okay?" She nods her head and turns back to her plateful of food. After breakfast, Ange is whisked away by Tony to make her a suit of her own. Nat and Steve are loading the dishwasher when I bring my empty plate into the kitchen. The redhead barely glances up at me before speaking.

"So how'd it go? Did my plan work?"

"How did what go?" I ask, trying to play dumb. She raises a brow at me as she hands a plate from the sink to Steve so he can load it onto the bottom rack of the washer.

"I heard some commotion in your room last night."

"Jesus, I'm not sure I'd classify you as a spy. Stalker is more like it." She shrugs as she continues handing Steve dirty utensils.

"The walls here are thin."

"That's no excuse," Steve chimes in with a small chuckle. "However I am interested to know what happened now." With a sigh, I hand Nat my plate then cross my arms.

"We just talked."

"Bull," Nat says snarkily. "Did you bang?"

"Oh my God, no!" Steve laughs as he closes the dishwasher and leans on the counter to face me. "We just both couldn't sleep so we talked for a little while." Nat and Steve glance at each other with disbelieving expressions. "And almost kissed. Three times." Nat jumps up and down like a kid and punches my arm while Steve only smiles widely at me. Then Nat's smile falters for a moment.

"Wait, what do you mean almost?"

"She's still hesitant, and I don't blame her. The encounter wasn't exactly... trivial."

"What in God's name is that supposed to mean?" Steve asks.

"It means the timing just wasn't right. Everything will happen when it should, as it should." Nat rolls her eyes, Steve and I watching her as she slides past me.

"You men confuse me."


	30. Freedom Ride

(Angela's P.O.V.)

I guess Tony had already begun a project to begin building an Avengers Tower where Stark Tower used to be. To my surprise, it was almost finished already. I knew because that's where James had brought me for patrol. He said we had to get something before we could go.

Tony helped me design a suit today. I wanted it to be more modern than something that Nat would have worn, full black for example. I wanted to show myself through my uniform. So I chose a black bodysuit with a maroon and yellow midsection, along with a small leather jacket and matching boots. Claire had helped me design it, too. She said that it would be easier to come up with ideas if I had a hero name. The name she'd picked for me was Phoenix. And Steve even allowed my cuffs to come off. When he released them from my wrists I felt a surge of power course through my body. I felt like myself again, and it felt good.

James was in his normal black-washed uniform as we walked down the ramp of the quinjet on the roof of the Avengers Tower. The elevator took us down to the underground garage, which took a few minutes because there were so many floors. My eyes widened when the doors slid open and I looked down a long parkway of different types of motor vehicles. Jeeps, Ferraris, Sports Cars. My eyes are caught on something a little flashier though. The black Ducati at the end of the line practically calls my name and I rush towards it immediately. Just as my hand reaches the seat, James clutched one of the handlebars.

"Sorry, Doll, but this one's mine." My brows furrow at him annoyingly, my head jerking to the other Ducati next to him.

"There's a white one right there." He shakes his head at me.

"I didn't know you ride," He says, obviously avoiding my suggestion.

"Some things are best-kept secret." I shift my weight to my other leg. "Why don't we both just ride this one?" He contemplates for a second then shrugs his shoulders.

"I guess that could work." I waste no time claiming my spot in the front, my hands gripping the handlebars and my smirk noticeable as I look up at James. "Uh, whatcha think you're doing there, Doll?"

"I'm driving." He grips my hips and slides me back, then shifts to sit in front of me on the motorcycle.

"I don't think so." I roll my eyes and wrap my arms around his torso.

"Men," I mutter to myself. He turns his head so half of his face is shown to me.

"I'll make up for it later, don't worry."

"Wha-" My words are cut off by the engine starting and I watch as the pavement in front of us lights up. I rest my cheek on James' back in defeat and hold onto him tightly as we begin speeding down the exit ramp and into the city.

(Third Person P.O.V.)

The wind was sharp against their skin as they raced into the busy streets of New York. Angela's hair blew in the wind as she clung to James' waist tightly, her body pressed close to his for comfort and protection from the cold Autumn night. James' face was warmer than ever, though. He loved the fact that they were so close to each other. He _wanted_ to be close to her. And she wanted the same thing. Angela's eyes shone from the passing lights of the buildings around them, her lips parted innocently as she leaned back slightly to get a better look at the scenery around her. She hadn't realized how much the outside world had changed since she started training. Everything was so technology-based nowadays. There were screens everywhere you looked and fancy-looking stores everywhere. James noticed her grip loosening and glanced over his shoulder at Angela, smiling at her when he saw the look of realization on her face.

Fastening her arms back around his waist, she rests her face on his leather-clad back again and closes her eyes, just enjoying his company as the long night blooms ahead of them.

 **Song that inspired this chapter:** Main Attraction - Jeremy Renner


	31. Progress

(Bucky's P.O.V.)

I couldn't sleep after we got back. The thought of Angela on the other side of that door taunted me. It seemed like that door was taunting me the entire night, too. The following morning went as usual. I ran my morning jog with Sam and Steve and then got bothered by Nat about any progress I was making with Angela. Half the time I couldn't answer any of her questions because I didn't know the answer either. Overall, the day went by extremely slow and I felt like I everything was sluggish. Each minute felt like hours and I couldn't ever seem to make time pass faster no matter how busy I kept myself. My thoughts always trailed back to Angela. The way she clung to me on the bike last night, how she gazed out at the city so innocently, her plush lips parted with wonder and curiosity. It was getting late and I'd decided that taking a shower might help... with what, I don't know. But I was bored as all hell.

But before I did that, I checked my mini-fridge next to my dresser and nod my head with approval when I see that I'd remember to restock my beer. I'll definitely need a drink later tonight. While I was grabbing a pair of jeans out of my dresser drawer Angela came in the main entrance, a smile on her face. I could see Wanda passing through the hallway, also smiling. They must have been laughing together. I was glad she was getting along with everyone on the team. It couldn't have been easy for anyone to consider being friends with the person that tried to assassinate them. Angela's eyes beam as she spots me while closing the door behind her.

"Hey, James." I turn my head to look at her at the mention of my name. "How are- Woah," She stops abruptly and her face falters a bit. I furrow my brows at her.

"What?" She takes a few steps towards me and cocks her head to the side when we're face to face.

"You look awful, James. You were up again, weren't you?" She's been catching onto my signs of sleep deprivation. I don't know whether to consider that a good or a bad thing.

"How'd you know?" I say sarcastically. She rolls her eyes and tilts my head to the side, examining my face. "What are you doing, Doll?"

"Your eyes are bloodshot as hell. You need to go to bed early tonight." I give her a weird look.

"Woah, Woah, Woah. Are you mothering me?" She giggles softly and I internally groan with disappointment when she retracts her hand back to her side.

"Maybe just a little." She notices the pair of jeans in my hand. "You going to take a shower?" I cock my eyebrow and smirk.

"Only if you're joining me." Her cheeks turn pink as she gazes up at me, her lips parted and throat blocked as if she's not sure what to say. I smile at her frozen state and wait for her to answer. Finally, she swallows and glances at the ground.

"Will it make you feel better?"

"Most definitely," I tell her, thinking she's only joking. The look she gives me when she gazes back into my eyes makes my stomach clench. Her eyes hold a sparkle I've never seen before, her blue iris' swirling with mysterious intent. Her cheeks are still pink and she's fidgetting with her hands. My stomach drops. This look only causes me a greater attraction to her.

"Maybe next time, James." A small tinge of guilt and disappointment sparks through my body, but it's gone almost as soon as it came. She starts walking towards her entryway to her bedroom before she turns back towards me abruptly, her hand grasping the door handle. "Oh, is it still movie night tonight?" That's right. I nearly forgot it was Thursday.

"Yeah. I think we're watching The Goonies or something."

"Oh," Her face twinges with slight disgust. "I think I'll probably stay in tonight then." I nod my head and make my way towards the bathroom.

"You going to draw some more?" She nods, her expression long and distant. I remember knocking on her door one night. She'd fallen asleep with her bedside lamp on so I went to turn it off and found she'd also fallen asleep drawing. Being the curious person I am, I'd carefully nudged the book from under her hand and flipped through it. I saw multiple drawings of her and other people, probably her family. But I noticed she almost always drew pictures of one specific girl. Thanks to Angela's incredible skills with shading and adding detail, I was able to confirm that it was her younger sister, Farren. At the very back of the book, though, I found a drawing of a man. A man with a metal arm... me. It had shown me gazing into the bathroom mirror, and the perspective of it was from the crack of a doorway. It made me feel like I was worth something for her to draw me the way she did.

I'd complimented her on her drawings the next morning, not letting her know I saw her drawing of me of course, and she looked at me like I was an alien. Gradually, she allowed me to see them with her permission, and sometimes even let me watch her while she worked. But I could tell she was very superstitious about her drawings and she took great care and pride in them.

"Yeah... it's all I've got left of them." She was referring to her family. Her expression was still distant as I glanced back at her after setting my clothes on the bathroom counter.

"Just don't dwell on it too much, okay? You have a habit of thinking yourself into a bad mood." She smiles at me. It's genuine, a coverup for her real emotions. It's a sign I'll definitely be checking on her later.

"Enjoy your shower, James."

<<<<<<>>>>>>

I couldn't stay awake during the movie, so I decided to come back early. Don't get me wrong, the Goonies was a great movie, my conscious state just couldn't keep up. When I arrived at my bedroom and closed the main entrance door, I noticed that Angela's door was closed. I didn't think much of it since it was usually like that. There was some slight rustling behind the wall in her room, she must have taken a shower or something.

I rub my eyes as I make my way over to the mini-fridge. Now sounds like a great time for a drink. I lean down and grasp the handle. When I look inside, my heart skips a beat, and my stomach drops. It's gone. All of it is gone. I don't have enough time to register what could have happened when I hear a loud crash from the other side of the wall. Immediately I sprint to open Angela's door and burst inside, my body pumping with a sudden rush of adrenaline.

The room is a mess. Her bed is disheveled, the bedside lamp shattered on the floor, and dresser drawers scattered around the room. There are clothing pieces everywhere. But what worries me the most is the shredded pages of paper I see around the floating feet of my partner. Her drawings... I recognize the empty cans of alcohol that are piled together in the corner of the room. There are at least four. Fuck. My eyes finally land on the broken girl in the room, her eyes glowing a faint red. Her hair is floating like a halo around her face as she hovers in the air. There are tears streaming down her face. Warily I take a small step into her room, my palms facing up as so to show I'm not a threat.

"Angela..." Her chest quivers as she sobs silently. She doesn't look at me, her eyes are staring through the floor.

"I should have been there," She whispers. I take more cautious steps towards her, rounding the bed and stepping over debris. "You should go," She says when I'm finally standing in front of her. "I'll hurt you." Taking her hand as she hovers in the air, I gently pull her down so she's standing along with me.

"You could never hurt me, Doll," I respond softly. Then a playful smile makes its way onto my face. "I thought I told you not to think yourself into a bad mood." She smiles for a fraction of a second but doesn't say anything. We stand for a little while, just sitting there. She continues to cry, her tear-streaked cheeks wet and her nose red. Her hair has grown longer, just past her midback now. I make my way to the doorway, Angela's hand still in mine, and I lead her into the other room. If I try talking to her at the scene she might combust and break down again, so I take her to sit on the side of my bed. I sit first, the bed dipping from my weight, and I look to Ange for her to follow. She does but sits sideways so her legs are draped across my thighs and wraps her arms around my neck, then buries her face in my shoulder. I don't object, but instead, wrap my right arm around her back for support and comfort and place my metal arm around her waist, holding her close to me and squeezing her tight. "I'm so sorry, Ange." I feel her shake her head into my shoulder. Her words are muffled as she speaks.

"Just hold me, James." And I do. We stay there embracing one another for over an hour, no talking and no moving unless it's me rocking her back and forth for comfort. I break the silence after a long time.

"How much did you drink, Ange?" She peels her dampened cheek away from my soggy shirt for the first time since placing herself there. Her eyes are swollen and red from crying.

"Whatever was in the fridge. It was no use, though. The Super Serum doesn't let me get drunk, just tipsy."

"You'll still get a hangover, trust me." She looks up at me, her eyes tired, and then she says something I would have never expected her to say.

"You're a good man, James." I smile quirkily at her.

"I don't need someone who sees the good in me, though. I need someone who sees the bad and still wants me," I say, remembering the words she'd once told me when I said something similar to her. She swallows a lump in her throat and her fingers run themselves through my hair.

"But I do want you..." My gaze snaps back to her.

"What?" She doesn't answer, just leans in real close. And before I know it, her lips are on mine. Her soft, pink lips. They taste of that rose chapstick I always see her using. Our tongues dance together in a battle for dominance. And then it's over. We pull away, looking into each other's eyes. I'm so high off of lust I can't stop the words that come out of my mouth. "Fucking date me already, Doll." She giggles cutely and rests her hand on my cheek.

"And what if I said yes?"

"Well, I hope you're alright with dating a fossil." Another giggle.

"And if I say no?" I shake my head with a smile.

"Then you're just a freakin' tease, Doll. That's mean." It feels good to be able to make her smile, especially after such a tragic event. She kisses me again, her touch gentle and soft. Feather-kisses.

"Take me on a date, James Buchanon Barnes."

 **Song that inspired this chapter:** Warrior - Beth Crowley


	32. Picture Perfect

(Bucky's P.O.V.)

"Please, Doll?"

"No."

"Babe, it's almost one in the afternoon!"

"I don't care."

"Can't you finish this later?"

"Hold still!" It's been this way for almost an hour. Since we got up this morning Angela has been persistent about drawing me getting out of bed.

She said it was a perfect angle and that I wasn't allowed to move until she was done. I've found she does this every once in a while, especially since we started dating a month ago. I don't mind it, though. I find it sort of special that she wants to use me for her drawings. "Okay, I'm done." I groan and rub my sore neck. It was hanging down a majority of the time. Angela pushes herself up from the floor and stretches out her back as I get up and walk over to her. I grasp her waist and pull her close to me then kiss her forehead.

"What am I going to do with you?" She smiles up at me and faces the drawing towards me so I can see. It really was beautiful, the way she saw things and the way she was able to bring her pictures to life.

"I'll make up for it later."

"You're starting to sound like me," I remark before leaning down and pecking her lips. "Now come on, we've got extra work to do since you used up an hour of packing time." Tony's building was finished and today we were moving into it. Everyone was glad. We were all starting to get sick of being in the air all the time.

"I packed all of my stuff last night," I smirk at her as she finishes.

"You should help me pack my stuff then." Her hair sways as she shakes her head.

"Sorry, hun, I've got to take a shower." I look at her disappointedly as she starts walking towards the bathroom.

"Seriously? Without me?" She peeks her head out of the bathroom doorway.

"Maybe if you'd have packed earlier you'd be able to." I give her a dry look, but she doesn't see it as she retreats behind the bathroom door and closes it.

 **Song that inspired this chapter:** Symphony - Clean Bandit


	33. Heavenly

(Angela's P.O.V.)

He was so good to me... too good, I sometimes thought to myself. Whatever I thought James couldn't do, he seemed to prove me wrong. But it wasn't something like training or doing a backflip -- even though I found out he can do that, too -- it was simple, little things. Like cooking. One morning he had a whole plate of breakfast ready for me when I woke up, and another he insisted on making dinner instead of going out to eat somewhere. I discovered he's also really good at football, too. But then again, what else should I have thought? He was a fit, tall, handsome guy, and he fits all of the credentials to match that of a star high school quarterback. Then there was me, who fit the description of the nerdy science girl who just so happened to catch the quarterback's eye.

James and I were loading our suitcases into the quinjet. I couldn't wait to move into the new Avengers Tower. James had his arm around my waist lovingly as Clint offered to take my last bag and haul it into the storage compartment. He was always like this; loving with hidden possessiveness and a need to protect me, even though he knows I can most certainly take care of myself. I don't take it too much to heart, though. I know he's doing it because he cares for me.

I took a seat in the comfortable chairs, James plopping down on my left and Steve taking a seat on my right.

"Morning, Steve," I greet with a soft smile. He nods at me and returns the smile back my way.

"Morning Ange," He then gives a curt nod towards the other person next to me. "Hey, Buck." The old friends start a conversation easily, me in the middle of their rambling. It's nothing new to me, and I didn't really feel like talking anyway. So I simply lay my head on James' shoulder, my fingers tracing circles on the soft flesh of his forearm as I drift away into my own thoughts.

I was happy here. I loved that I could talk to anyone in this aircraft and feel comfortable with any conversation. There was never one ounce of drama between anybody. Sure, there were some disagreements here and there, but it never turned into a bigger deal than it had to be. And if there even was something that caused tension throughout the team, it was fixed immediately because Steve absolutely hated holding grudges, which I liked. He was a good friend to James; I'm glad he has someone like Steve to talk with. It must have been hard for James and Steve to wake up in a completely different time than they'd fallen asleep in. Having each other to hold the other down must be good for both of them though. It's almost like they were able to take a part of their past with them and embrace it in the future.

My eyes float across the floor to the other sets of chairs where I see Wanda, Vision, Peter, and Claire sitting together chatting happily. I watch each of them and study their characteristics. Wanda's hair has a tint of red to the auburn color of it. If you look closely at Vision's face, you'll be able to see the little technological incarnations of gadget designs on his cheeks. Peter's hair has gotten longer; he needs to get a haircut soon. And Claire is just genuinely beautiful as always. Then I feel a slight rustle against the top of my head before James' lips brush my forehead. I smile cheekily. I always loved it when he did that. A sigh of content leaves me and I'm pulled back into my imagination. I think about the new tower and how everything will be how it should have been in the first place. How if I'd known the truth I would have dealt with my emotions and actions better in the first place and Stark Tower wouldn't have ended up being... well... not Stark Tower. This new building was going to be my home. These people that were my team were also my family. And overall, I couldn't have asked for anything more than what they've been able to offer me.

From the day my family was murdered I was taught that violence was the only way to cure my sorrow. I believed everything that HYDRA told me because I was vulnerable and hurt; I didn't want to believe that they were really gone. I listen to my boyfriend's dim voice, the vibrations of his throat transmitting into the muffled drum of my ear. If only we had met sooner... and in a proper manner. Not through HYDRA. Maybe things would have turned out like this. He laces his fingers between my own as he continues talking with Steve. Yup, I was right. Everything I have, everything the Avengers have been able to give me, is heaven.

 **Song that inspired this chapter:** Heaven Don't Have a Name - Jeremy Renner


	34. HYDRA Suspicions

(Angela's P.O.V.)

I was pissed.

  
Everyone is in the new conference room at the Avengers Tower. We all got settled in and made ourselves at home. Tony thought it would be funny to put a football-themed man cave on the fifth floor, even though no one really has the time to sit down and watch a full game on TV. In fact, I don't think anyone was really that big of a football fan. But you know, it's Tony. He's going to do whatever he feels like doing.  
After getting situated in our rooms Steve ordered an emergency meeting through the earpiece coms. Fury was on the phone for the first time in months. He's been in Egypt for a little over half a year now. I hadn't even known he left; when I was imprisoned I figured he just never came out of his room. When Steve made the announcement, I began heading for the door of James' and I's room. But before I could even reach the handle, James gripped my arm to keep me from going any further.

  
"James? What's wrong?" His face was slightly crazed, eyes wide and full of anxiety. He looked scared almost. His hold on me wasn't painful, just a frantic squeeze. Then he moves to embrace me lovingly. He knows I love hugs, especially from him, because his large stature makes me feel safe and protected.

  
"Baby, don't worry about the meeting. I'll take care of it." I talk into his ear.

  
"But aren't we all supposed to go?"

  
"I'll fill you in later," he assured me as he kissed the top of my head. "I promise." I opened my mouth to retaliate but he was out the door before I could respond. What the hell? With a frustrated sigh, I close the now open door to the hallway and continue unpacking my stuff. When I leaned down to fold some clothes on my bed, my single braid fell over my shoulder. It was a little shorter than the time before it was cut, but I liked it this way. It wasn't as big of a hassle to deal with and it still served the purpose I wanted it to.

As I finish up folding my clothes and begin placing them in drawers my mind is stuck on James. Why was he so urgent to keep me here? Was he hiding something? I shake my head and clear my thoughts. No; I trust him. He does what he does for a reason. If this is better for me then I take his word for it. He's my boyfriend, he wouldn't do anything to hurt me. Besides, he promised. We never break out promises to each other.

<<<<<<>>>>>>

(Bucky's P.O.V.)

Everyone was crowded in the conference room around the long rectangular table. In the center of it was a cell phone on speakerphone; Fury was on the other side of the line.

"Agent Hill and I are close on their tails," Fury said. He was referring to their progress on HYDRA's whereabouts. "We should have all the information we need about them in no longer than three months." The mission was taking longer than expected, so the time frame ended up moving from six months to nine.

"Copy that, Director," Steve replied humbly. There was a slight pause. Clint and I caught each other's gaze with confusion. Everyone else was doing it too. Did the phone line cut off?

"What's our status with Castens?" Fury suddenly asked. Now all eyes were on me. I could feel it. Steve raised an eyebrow at me, a secret message hiding in his facial expression. It's almost as if he was asking out loud, 'should I tell him?'. Giving him a quick glance, I lean down towards the phone and answer.

"Angela has transferred and is now an Avenger."

"Is she now?" Fury asked sarcastically. His voice was scratchy and dry. "And when did that happen?"

"About two months after you departed with Agent Hill, sir." Another small pause.

"I see. Well, congratulations on doing a fine job with your mission, Sargent Barnes." I release a breath I didn't know I was holding but reply strongly.

"Thank you, Director." There were more conversations held and before we knew it an hour had passed by like nothing. More words were exchanged about the mission in Egypt and ideas were passed around from person to person about what HYDRA's next move might be if there even was a next move. My thoughts were elsewhere, though. Everyone's voices gradually started to fade away as my mind captured itself into an alternate universe. A universe that was mainly revolved around Angela. I felt terrible about what I'd done earlier. She looked terrified when I'd grabbed her so suddenly and I'd never seen her look at me that way before. I didn't like it, not one bit. But I didn't want her coming to this meeting specifically because it was about HYDRA. If she knew that HYDRA was still up and running and that we had eyes on them, she might do something worth regretting in the future. The vengeance she wants for her lost family members is strong; she'd do anything to avenge them in any way. The fact that she cares so deeply for them moves me, makes me love her more. But I'm afraid for her, for us, and about the outcome of this situation if she was aware of what was going on right now. I was protecting her from the bad just like any boyfriend was supposed to do, just like any _friend_ was supposed to do, and I cared for her too much to let anything depict what could happen. I'd tell her sooner or later, I promised her I would. I just wasn't going to tell her right now.


	35. Date Night

(Angela's P.O.V.)

Date night. The thought made my stomach flutter with unknown excitement. James and I haven't been on a true date yet, and the fact that we actually had to time to go on one was a pretty big deal as of now. At this point, I was lucky to get a few hours alone with him besides later at night. We've been really busy lately. James always tried to make up for it though, surprising me with kisses if we rounded a corner at the same time by accident or crossed paths during lunch break. The last date we'd gone on was a stay-in movie night... with everyone else. It started out as just the two of us, but as people passed the lounge they'd take a seat, suddenly intrigued by the movie. That was probably our first mistake; watching a movie in the lounge. It was difficult to get the privacy we wanted unless we were in our own room, but we work with what we've got.

When James brought up the idea of going out tonight I was ecstatic. Finally, a few hours with my boyfriend I'll be able to have all to myself. My cheeks had reddened with surprise when he told me to dress in my best nightdress. He'd never brought something like that up to me before, and I took it as a huge deal. It meant we were going somewhere fancy.

I'd gotten showered up and did my hair into a simple curled bun, nothing special. Then my makeup was next, a nude smokey eye with a deep red lipstick that matched my dress. I loved this dress; it made me feel sexy with its soft texture and open back. I was touching up my mascara when James pondered into the bathroom and positioned himself behind me, his hands resting on my hips lovingly.

"You look beautiful," He complimented. He was wearing gray dress pants and a white shirt, his tie hanging around his neck waiting to be fixed up. His sleeves were also rolled just above his elbows and his hair was sexily gelled back.

"Thank you, love." Our eyes meet in the reflection of the mirror, but not before my own blue orbs glance over him with desire. "You don't look too bad yourself." His lips press against the back of my neck, causing the hair on my covered arms to stand and my heart rate to race drastically.

"My girl deserves nothing less than the best." I clear my throat and purse my lips as I try my best to suppress my smile, mostly because I know what I'm about to do is going to cause some controversy. I lean my body over the sink to act like I need a closer look at putting on my mascara in the mirror, my back arching slightly and buttocks pushing against Jame's hips. I could've sworn I heard a growl escape his lips as I did so. When I glanced at him through the reflection, his eyes were cast down, studying the way my dress hugged my curves and shaped my body. His face was tight and his eyes showed a hungry possessiveness I'd only ever seen glimpses of before. Then his hands slowly raised, his fingertips dancing along my back and down the crevice of my spine. He continued this as I brushed on a few more strokes of mascara. "You're a little shit, you know that?" I bit my lip playfully as our gaze connected.

"The one and only." I yelped when he grasped my hips and held me tighter to him. Suddenly, my cheeks reddened with recognition as he shifted against me. He knew I could feel him, we both knew. Then I felt him lift the back of my dress to rest on top of the small of my back. In doing so, my lacey black thong was exposed for anyone to see, particularly a devious young man. James ran his hands over my buttocks, his skin sending sparks through me with each drag of his fingers. Then I felt him play with my thong, his finger hooking around the fabric to pull it aside. I'm sure I was already wet enough to be called a goddamn river. My breath hitched as I felt his finger glide over my slick folds, dragging past my clit and teasing me wickedly. My skin grew hot and my mouth watered with desire. James continued to watch my reactions through the mirror, his eyes twinkling with knowledge of what his actions were causing.

"You know," I nearly gasped. "If you keep this up, we'll be late to dinner."

"And who's fault would that be?" He retorted back, ignoring my statement as his fingers continued to caress me.

"Yours, for not being able to get ahold of yourself." A small moan escaped me as James dipped his finger inside me. My hands gripped at the edge of the counter, nails scraping against the marble.

"On the contrary, I believe our absence would be due to your inability to contain your desire for _me_."

"You think so?" He continued to pleasure me, my insides quivering from the amazing feelings he provided. His single finger replaced itself with two, then three, and that's when I started to unravel, my moans becoming uncontrollable as I whimpered.

"I know so, Doll." I heard a zipper unlatch as he said so and my stomach tied itself into knots.

"James, if this continues we won't' even get out the _door_ ," I tell him.

"I'm more than willing to stay in tonight," He responded as he rustled his pants and unbuttoned his shirt with his free hand. I watched his shirt slowly open up button by button, his toned body gradually revealing itself.

"Babe, the whole point is to get you riled up so we can have fun _later_. Not _now_." He's definitely not thrilled about that idea, his face says it all. James doesn't answer as he shrugs off his once neat dress shirt, the full radiance of his complexion showing itself to me. I watch him intently, studying the way his muscles ripple with every movement he makes. The annoyance that once made its way into my mind slowly dissipates, like he's put me in a trance. A trance filled with lust and deep, dark desires. Then I feel him rip my panties away. Literally, rips them off me my waist. Anger rises back within me as he does so. They weren't cheap. I make an attempt at straightening my posture in protest to his action, but he places his hand on the small of my back and presses against me to keep me leaning over the counter. James leans down along with me, his mouth brushing against my ear in a low, husky whisper.

"Relax, Doll. I'll buy you as many panties as you want later." He nibbles at my neck after finishing his sentence and my nerves dissolve immediately. Within seconds I'm back under his spell. I lift one of my hands to run my fingers through his hair. A moment later I feel him pressing against my folds again, but this time, it's not his fingers. This wasn't part of the plan; I was only teasing him to be just that, a tease. If I'd known it would have gone this far I probably would have held off... no, I take that back, I definitely would have done it anyway.

I don't resist as I feel the length of him enter me, blinding sensations enveloping my mind and body. James has his hands settled firmly on my hips as he begins to move slowly, tenderly, _teasingly_. That's how it always started, soft and sweet, like a first impression. But then as time passed, it grew nastier, dirtier. He began demonstrating that about thirty seconds in, his thrusts gaining speed and force. More than usual, now that I thought about it. Was he really that desperate with desire? The sensations continued, my whimpers and moans filling the room as time progressed. When it all came to an end and we released together, I sank against the countertop, my legs shaking from exhaustion. My heavy breathing was an easy sign that James had done excellent at his job, and apparently so had I, as I heard James panting as well. At this point, I knew for sure that there was no chance we weren't already late for dinner. With a decisive sigh, I straighten my posture and snake my arms out of my dress sleeves, shimmying my way out of the tight fabric and letting it fall to the floor. James watched me with confusion as I advanced to unclipping my bra, tossing it to the side, and turning to face him.

"What about dinner-"

"You started this," I told him with an accusing finger point. "It looks like we're staying in after all." To add to my statement, I walked sexily to the door and beckoned him to follow, my lips playing a devious smile. He sighed before taking a step to follow me. I'm sure he knew that this wasn't over and that our next destination was the bed.

"You will be the death of me, Angela Castens."

 **Song that Inspired This Chapter:** Hey Baby (Drop It to the Floor) - Pitbull, ft. T-Pain


End file.
